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Guide / Copenhagen
”There’s a cultural orientation towards the good things in life”
On what not to miss in the city during Copenhagen Fashion Week
KAY LITZINGER
5 Aug 2022

Tell us about yourself.

— I moved to Copenhagen for my Master’s Degree and then joined Son of a Tailor. I have a background in writing, sustainability, and innovation — as the brand’s communications manager, I get to combine all three to inspire people to reconsider how we make and buy clothes. Son of a Tailor is a clothing-tech company offering custom-fit garments. What that means is that, as a customer, all you need to do is enter your height, weight, age, and shoe size and the brand’s own algorithm creates a unique pattern based on that. The garment is then made to order in Portugal or Italy. What I love about the concept is the win-win approach: you get something made to fit you perfectly and there’s no overproduction that ends up in landfills. In spring, we went live with our rebranding, including a new website, new logo, and overall updated customer experience. This was a great opportunity for us to zoom in on what’s really special about the brand: the supply chain. Our new tagline, Supply Change, puts it centre stage. For this spring/summer, we also produced our very first seasonal campaign, putting the spotlight on that particular state of mind we’re all experiencing these days: In summer, we long to take a timeout from routines. While many of us are stuck indoors, we crave to spend time outside. Mentally, we’re out of office.

For someone who hasn’t been to Copenhagen, how’d you describe it?

— It’s a small big city with a scenic location by the water, beautiful architecture — historic as well as modern — and a cultural orientation towards the good things in life.

My favourite thing that makes me proud of Copenhagen: 

— I love what you might call the distance/experience ratio: in the inner city, you can get basically anywhere in maximum 15 minutes by bike. At the same time, the density of great bakeries, restaurants, bars, cafés, and independent shops is really high. Having this variety at your fingertips makes the city feel very accessible and intriguing.

My favourite weekend routine: 

— Kick off the day with espresso in bed, then pick up some bread and cheese at neighbourhood favourite Kolonial, a speciality store selling farmers’ produce from Denmark and the Mediterranean. After a slow breakfast, I usually try to catch some fresh air. Depending on the season, I’d take a stroll around Nørrebro or take the bike out to La Banchina for a dip. As the afternoon transitions into the evening, I love to sit down with some friends and/or my partner to enjoy an aperitivo before heading out for dinner or preparing a home-cooked meal. 

My favourite cultural spot:

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, no doubt: Located just outside Copenhagen right by the coast, it combines art, architecture, and nature to a Gesamtkunstwerk that makes you come back again and again. If I want to stay in the city, I love going to Glyptoteket. The bold colours of the walls always inspire me.

My favourite place for dining out:

— For an evening with friends, I like to go to Baka d’Busk. Come for the vegetarian menu and stay for the good vibes, what more could you want?

My favourite breakfast place:

— If I had to choose one, Sonny — lovely staff, amazing coffee, and good food. For a simple bagel breakfast, I like to go to Depanneur. For Sunday brunch, Les Trois Cochons is a great choice.

My favourite excursion or city escape:

— Nothing beats the Scandinavian summer house life. Whenever I need a break from the city, I love to slow down, cook, walk, and read surrounded by nature. Luckily, there are plenty of houses available around an hour outside Copenhagen, so you can even go for a night or two.

My favourite local entrepreneur or creative I want to promote:

— Nick and Dia, behind Aeris, most recently joined by Armin. Handcrafted cocktails in beautifully designed bottles made by an extremely loveable team. It’s been amazing to follow their journey from home delivery to events to being stocked at hotels and stores, now also outside of Denmark. My favourite is the Grapefruit Margarita.

Bottled cocktails from Aeris.

My favourite hotel for a staycation:

— I love Villa Copenhagen for its cosy interpretation of Scandi minimalism.

My favourite route for a run or walk: 

— The lakes. It’s a classic but for good reason. Right by the water with changing scenery and a pre-defined route so you can let your mind wander or focus on a podcast while running.

My favourite place for fashion:

Grocery in Nørrebro — great selection of pieces, there’s always something that catches my eye.

Grocery.

My favourite example of tech innovation in Copenhagen: 

— The metro. Way overdue but totally worth the wait. Copenhagen’s extended metro infrastructure has really improved city life, especially during seemingly endless periods of rain and wind. Plus, I love the cheap and easy connection to the airport.

My favourite local media:

Scandinavia Standard. You could call me biased as I’m writing for them on the side but my love affair with the website started way before that: when I first moved to Scandinavia, initially Stockholm and then Copenhagen, the team’s content has been an invaluable resource for understanding Scandinavian culture as well as for diving into the local design, fashion, and food scene. 

My favourite space for great design: 

Frama. The unique location inside a historic pharmacy is worth the visit alone but I love their simple, naturalistic design approach that bridges minimalism and warmth. 

My favourite hidden gem:

— Copenhagen has an abundance of lovely wine bars and shops but one hidden gem is Oinofilia, located in the chapel right next to the church on Blågårds Plads. Half Danish-half Greek, the owner Maria has made it her mission to introduce Copenhageners to Greek wines, many natural and from female winemakers. 

My favourite thing at home: 

— The ceramics we brought from Italy, Mexico, and most recently Morocco — I love surrounding myself with objects that carry meaning and keep memories alive.