THE HORSEPOWER TAKEAWAY
SPRING / SUMMER 2021
Finding nature and human survival a constant source of fascination, this season Henrik Vibskov’s inspiration concentrated on a natural phenomenon – Fire. The contradictory nature of fire and the way it contributes to our way of life is what inspired the team for the SS21 collection.
Fire is a curious thing. Breathing the same oxygen as us, the intense heat can melt materials, change their shape, burn through or blend them together. It’s also how we cook food, forge tools and stimulate growth in various ecological systems. It symbolizes energy, passion and love as well as new beginnings and growth.
The theme was first inspired by a burned motorcycle that Henrik had seen in the center of Copenhagen. Completely stripped by the fire, the bare, melted skeleton of the bike was left in its rough and unpolished essence. Having just started the research into this, a fire alarm, ironically, interrupted the fashion show in Copenhagen last season. After proven to be a false alarm, we re-entered and re-emerged from the intense chaos of the situation stronger and more powerful. The power of instant adaption and the positive outcome it had, added a positive spin to the inspiration and reminded us of our ability to come back from unexpected situations. The horse became a symbol for this power, because of its strength, virility and the fact that it in Feng Shui is associated with the element of fire. Also, did you know that horses tend to run back into burning barns?
The collection reflects the theme in various ways; silhouettes inspired by melting or burning materials as well as special jacquards in our own design inspired by new beginnings, like spring flowers blooming after a long winter or the phoenix bird raising from the ashes. One all over print depicts the fiery sun setting and rising and one is made from an experiment with melting a polaroid.
In a satellite city district on the outskirts of Copenhagen, a layered façade of burned brick shoots up from a strange oasis. Spread across the many levels, an installation of human pendulums swing harmoniously, from side to side, on their big rocking horses. Together, they form a kind of clockwork machinery – a hypnotizing balancing act that depicts the restoring force, which fuels the universe.
All fabrics and trims are evaluated based on their sustainable qualities and the choices for the collection are made thereafter. This season 75% of all styles are made from sustainable materials. The fabrics include organic cotton, recycled polyester, Tencel made from upcycled cotton linter, Linen and virgin wool. Certificates also include BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) and GOTS, plus Økotes for colors, dyes and prints.
