63 DEFIANTLY FEMININEFashion Danish fashion designer Cecilie Bahnsen explores a
world that defiantly celebrates femininity.Interviewee
CECILIE BAHNSEN
Fashion
CECILIE BAHNSENYou have a unique vision for
women’s fashion - a look that is dif-
ferent to many other brands. Was
this unique vision for how women
can look, one of the reasons you
pursued fashion as a career?
With each new collection I try
to continuously explore a world
that defiantly celebrates femininity,
that’s not afraid to be romantic and
feminine, mixed with the minimal-
istic Scandinavian aesthetic I grew
up with. A world in which women
can find strength and power in ro-
mance with sculptural dresses, ball
skirts, billowed sleeves, peplums,
bows and ruffles. Being a female
designer, designing for women, it’sabout creating clothes that women
feel comfortable and independent
in. The brand is not about a VIP or
an ‘it girl’; it is about all girls and
all women supporting each other.
It is not fast fashion but a timeless
expression of modern femininity. I
always design with the thought in
mind that the dress and the feeling of
wearing the dress is something beau-
tiful and ageless and can be passed
from mother to daughter or shared
between friends.You interned for John Galliano
in Paris, and also worked for the
London fashion brand ERDEM.
What was the biggest challenge youfaced when setting up your own
fashion label?
When I first started my brand, I
moved from London back to Copen-
hagen, I needed a change of scenery
and to slow down the pace.
In Copenhagen, nobody knew
my designs as my creative network
was in London, so moving back
felt like I was starting from scratch
again. That, of course, was challeng-
ing, however also very beneficial as
it gave me the space and time to de-
velop and refine my design and es-
tablish myself as a designer, not just
in Denmark but also internationally.
I presented my first two collec-
tions at London Fashion Week’s63 DEFIANTLY FEMININEFashion Danish fashion designer Cecilie Bahnsen explores a
world that defiantly celebrates femininity.
Interviewee
CECILIE BAHNSEN
Fashion
CECILIE BAHNSEN
You have a unique vision for
women’sfashion- a lookthatis dif-
ferentto many otherbrands. Was
thisuniquevisionforhowwomen
can look, one of the reasons you
pursuedfashionas a career?
With each new collectionI try
to continuously explore a world
that defiantly celebratesfemininity,
that’snotafraidtoberomanticand
feminine,mixedwiththeminimal-
istic Scandinavian aesthetic I grew
upwith.Aworldin whichwomen
can find strengthand power in ro-
mance with sculptural dresses, ball
skirts, billowed sleeves, peplums,
bows and ruffles. Being a female
designer, designing for women, it’s
aboutcreating clothesthat women
feel comfortable and independent
in.Thebrandis notabouta VIPor
an‘it girl’; it is about allgirlsand
all women supporting each other.
Itis not fastfashionbut a timeless
expression ofmodern femininity. I
always design with the thought in
mindthatthedressandthefeelingof
wearingthedressis somethingbeau-
tiful and agelessand can bepassed
from mother to daughteror shared
betweenfriends.You interned for John Galliano
in Paris, and also worked for the
London fashion brand ERDEM.
What was the biggest challenge youfaced when setting up your own
fashion label?
When I first started my brand, I
movedfromLondonbacktoCopen-
hagen,I needed a change of scenery
and to slow down the pace.
In Copenhagen, nobody knew
my designs as my creative network
was in London, so moving back
felt like I was starting from scratch
again. That, of course, was challeng-
ing, however also very beneficial as
it gave me the space and time to de-
velop and refine my design and es-
tablish myself as a designer, not just
in Denmark but also internationally.
I presented my first two collec-
tions at London Fashion Week’s