For fall, Helle Hestehave and Rikke Baumgarten have found creative ways to stay local and go global. They did this by opting out of a traditional show format in favor of something new: 21 outfits were sent to their “Baum family,” the members of which styled the looks themselves. The results are relatable and engaging, with the individuals’ personalities adding layers of narrative to the proceedings.
The designers were focused on the dichotomy—powerfully documented by the Danish photographer Søren Rønholt—between the natural beauty of the coastline and the industrial wastelands one passes to get to them. The emphasis of the collection fell more firmly on the latter, and was expressed through maritime references including the de rigueur marinière sweater and, most charmingly, a feminist toile showing a fisherwoman bringing home her catch.
As it’s windy, wet, and cold by the sea, pieces were designed to be layered, with performance fabrics and thermo-tech linings used for warmth. The designers’ community-based approach to showing provided a different kind of comfort and solidarity. As Baumgarten notes, “We are all in this situation, and in that sense we are much closer to each other at the moment because we are all socially distanced and we are all in the same boat.”
