In the headquarters of Denmark’s most famous architecture firm, Stel showcased a considered and instinctively wearable autumn/winter '25collection
Stel isn’t the sort of brand that overcomplicates things. Helmed by Astrid Andersen and launched last CPHFW, the brand revels in relaxed tailoring and easy denim, focusing on silhouette and structure over bells and whistles. In another word, architecture. It’s therefore fitting that Stel staged its autumn/winter '25 show – its first-ever runway show (last season the brand opted for a presentation) – in the headquarters of Denmark’s most famous architecture firm, BIG. Run by celebrity architect Bjarke Ingels, BIG is known for distilling ambitious projects into clean lines – a certain modern brutal minimalism. This building in particular is a concrete-heavy mirror of Stel’s ethos.
“It’s a dream, I’m going to be honest,” says Andersen of the show venue. “It’s a dream to have your venue be your starting point for inspiration.” She isn’t speaking only of the building’s industrial aesthetic, but also its permanence. Or, as Andersen puts it, “The idea of building something that is meant to last and be sort of timeless, but still have a very strong point of view”.
The collection, some of which is available to purchase directly after the show, embodies that same notion: timeless with a point of view. Take, for instance, the tailoring. Relaxed suiting with gentle slouchy shoulders get a twist by way of blazers that fall extra long in the back or feature movement-friendly slits up the side. Elsewhere, a fresh silhouette by way of a calf-length black tailored vest over vast cut trousers and a baggy black T-shirt. “You can style it a thousand ways,” says Andersen of the vest. “But as soon as you pair it with a T-shirt, it has that new life and new energy.” Set to the smooth as butter vocals of Hillari, the show found Copenhagen cool girls like Nina Marker and Klara Kristin ambling through the show space without a care in the world, only emphasising the ease of the items on offer.
Fans of Astrid Andersen’s beloved namesake brand will appreciate the nods to streetwear. There’s the breezy yellow-green boiler suit, for instance, tied at the waist and the double-layered trouser, which conveys the illusion of striped boxer shorts worn with low-rise pants. Denim is sturdy yet relaxed – a skater-friendly approach to Copenhagen’s most beloved material.
These are the sort of items designed to be instantly understood, just like the building in which they were presented. In fact, Andersen describes the whole setup not as a fashion show, but as an “invitation to see the clothes” (to further drive home this point, guests sat on cosy sofas, littered about to create the vibe of a massive, modern living room). Afterwards, attendees were invited to take a glass of wine and get a closer look at the collection on hanging racks, in order to gain a better understanding of what makes these seemingly straightforward pieces the sort of garments you’ll return to again and again. “I’m not out here trying to make complicated clothes,” says Andersen. “But you should still have the feeling of, ‘Wow, this is giving me something’.”
See all the looks from Stel’s autumn/winter '25 collection below:
