Saks Potts: The 10 most memorable moments in a decade of Danish design

Last week, surprise news reverberated around the fashion world that Danish brand Saks Potts would shutter its business come spring. Bringing an extraordinary 10-year-long era to a close, the co-founders (and childhood friends) Catherine Saks and Barbara Potts stated via Instagram they wish to 'leverage their legacy' through new career opportunities in their 30s.

Here, as we digest the sad news at Vogue Scandinavia, we're taking the opportunity to look back on the milestones along the journey of the brand that helped to define Danish fashion today. Starting from the brand's beginnings – when the co-founders found their feet with only €1,000 capital behind them – join us in reflecting upon and celebrating all the viral moments, coveted pieces, and iconic events that have formed the brand we have known and loved.

No fashion school to back them, no professional training to refer to and very little money: this was the beginning of what would soon be one of Scandinavia’s favourite brands. At only 19 and 20, Catherine Saks and Barbara Potts set out to design their dream coat. They were looking for something quirky, unique and bold that would merge their minimalist Scandinavian roots with a love for luxury and bold design.

This was the vision that led the brand to quickly be known for its outerwear and statement pieces, including the beloved brightly-coloured fur coats.

Related: End of an era: Saks Potts set to close after 10 years

In 2014, just one year after its start, the brand debuted its first collection. Consumers could now fully indulge in its signature styles of tactile, eye-popping outerwear designs – the OG of which was its bright faux furs. The combination of luxury fabrics and unexpected hues drew the world's eye to this budding Scandinavian brand.

If there is one thing Saks Potts has wooed the fashion world with time and time again, it has been coats, and as this particular item was the driving force behind the brand’s ignition, it is no wonder that this is something they have perfected. Its first design, the ‘Febbe’, was comprised of brown fur, adorned with pops of aqua green, azure, cotton candy pink or scarlet. Using their savvy to promote their design, in 2016 Saks and Potts sent a few versions of the coat out to friends and influencers attending New York Fashion Week autumn/winter '16.

These women swapped the jacket between themselves whenever they were getting photographed, and as such, the ‘Febbe’ seemed to be the official coat of NYFW, seen on the likes of Eva Chen, Emily Weiss and Pernille Teisbæk. This move launched Saks Potts on a global scale.

Related: Sydney Sweeney is the latest star to join the Saks Potts fan club

In their native capital, Saks and Potts took their eponymous brand to its first official fashion week in its hometown, for the spring/summer '17 shows. With a model lineup that included Danish model Caroline Brasch Nielsen and a front row that seated the likes of Pernille Teisbæk (by then a patriotic brand devotee), Saks Potts made its presence well and truly known at Copenhagen Fashion Week.

While having already hosted a number of pop-ups, Saks Potts made the move in 2017 to open its first brick-and-mortar store. Seated in the heart of Copenhagen, the new retail space reflected the aesthetic of the brand with a space that was minimal in layout yet colourful and modern, teaming with luxury.

Sassy, striking and all-round sensational, the ‘Foxy’ coat (yes, another coat!), with its fluffy neckline soon became one of Saks Potts’ signature and most coveted styles. This was the design that pushed the label to the international celebrity front and proved, yet again, that when it came to outerwear, it knew what it was doing. Hinted at during the label’s first Copenhagen show in 2016 the coat made its official debut in the autumn/winter '18 collection in that instantly recognisable shocking green.

Since Saks Potts hit cult status, it has garnered a huge celebrity following. The likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Sydney Sweeney, Lily-Rose Depp and Doja Cat have all dipped into the Saks Potts perennial patronage (particularly for the Serena polo shirt). Its Foxy coat has even made it into the wardrobes of Beyonce and Lady Gaga. Singer and actress Selena Gomez also forever immortalised its metallic lime green set in the music video for ‘Taki Taki’.

In 2022, Caroline Saks and Barbara Potts found their way onto the Forbes Europe 30 Under 30 list. From beginning as teens with only €1,000 to garnering a vast celebrity fanbase, and 200,000+ Instagram followers, the cofounders received this recognition for their monumental achievements.

At Saks Potts’ final runway show (although this much was not known then), the label received backing from supermodel and former Victoria’s Secret Angel Stella Maxwell. The model opened the brand’s show at Copenhagen Fashion Week autumn/winter '24. Consisting of only 14 carefully curated looks, Saks Potts ensured everyone knew that its ineffable taste and designs were internationally approved.

After finding their way onto the Forbes Europe 30 Under 30 list, Saks and Potts were bestowed a more local – but equally significant – award the following year: the esteemed Danish Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize. An award that helps to foster Danish design talent, the winner takes home €40,000 and receives substantial support from Copenhagen Fashion Week. Typically, the award is focused on up-and-coming designers, but, for Saks Potts an exception was made. Our mission is clear – empowering the next generation of Danish fashion entrepreneurs,” said Nina Wedell- Wedellsborg, founder of the prize. “This year’s winner, Saks Potts, demonstrates remarkable growth with a clear vision of every business aspect, possessing the essential skills for success in today’s fashion world.” From their beginning as teens with only €1,000 to garnering a vast celebrity fanbase, strong commercial standing and loyal social media following, the cofounders welcome the recognition for their monumental achievements.

At Copenhagen Fashion Week spring/summer '25, in lieu of a show, Saks Potts celebrated its 10th anniversary with an intimate dinner, hosting friends, It girls and influencers. To the co-founders, this quirky and unique celebration was a mock wedding reception. “We are not married and we don’t have a ring, but we’ve always wanted to do a wedding between the two of us,” says Potts. “So we this a little bit as our weird wedding.” Following this trope, the two marked the occasion with a stunning venue, gourmet menu, wedding cake and a band, uniting themselves, their designs and visions forever.