After spending the whole Wednesday at the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, we were heading once again to the Bella Center, only this time we were going to see the Graduate Show of the students of VIA Design. We were standing in the line half an hour before the show, as the Graduate Show is very popular every year, and we wanted to have as good places as possible. When finally entering the hall, we were given a drink of Bloody Mary, and taken to our places next to the catwalk. The show was about to start in few minutes and the hall was filled with people. The venue was a great place to have a fashion show, and it was well organized, and professional-like. 
The VIA Design Graduate Fashion show included the collections of sixteen designers. The graduates had been working with the collections for months, and you could really see that they had put a great effort and time from the themes, materials, and techniques to the smallest details. Every collection was unique and had a theme of their own. There were some really crazy ideas, colors, textures, and constructions, but they were often combined with classic items and shapes. You could also see that there was a theme of cross-dressing and unisex-fashion. Many of the collections had interesting fabric manipulations and silhouettes and little something you had not seen before, such as pink ruffle shorts on a man. My own personal favorite designers were Tiia Maria Jaakkola with her denim-collection, Mette Brünnich Andersen, and Sandra Nielsen who had been working with unusual color combinations. After the show, we went to see the collections and meet the designers, and they were happy to tell the themes and ideas behind the collections. The designers were relieved and happy after the fashion show. While browsing the collections through, you could see the details much better, even the really small ones the audience could not see in the catwalk.
Overall, the show was a success, and really inspiring. It made you think about your own choices, and pondering whether I should be bolder, and crazy even, when designing clothes. I am personally more used to designing clothes, that are practical and wearable, when the students in VIA are encouraged to go crazy with their designs. I had my exchange semester in VIA Design last autumn, and at first it was hard for me to design something, that nobody is actually going to wear, but it was just for me to get inspired by the texture, fabric manipulations and silhouettes. We were working hard around the clock with the collections and designs, and it was like a whole new world to me. Some of my classmates were sleeping in the school in the end of the projects, and hardly had a sleep at all.
During the autumn, I saw also the graduates working with their collections. There is basically no time for them to do anything else but to work hard with the designs and push yourself to the very limit. The designers gave their all to the collections, and when watching the Graduate Fashion Show, you could see it was worth it. After the show, you cannot just help but wonder where do all the crazy ideas come from, and realize, why Denmark is considered as a land of fashion. /Amanda 
During the Global fashion business study trip, we were also visiting a local brand called Le Fix. We were warmly welcomed, as one of the founders, Benny Kusk, introduced us to their world of art and fashion. Le Fix is an urban lifestyle brand originally founded in Copenhagen by 3 childhood friends, Benny Kusk, Rasmus Jacobsen and Jesper Holm. According to Kusk, who titles himself as a creative director, the brand grew from a personal project to a brand partly in an accident and today the brand has around 26 people working for it. Le Fix started as a personal project to be able to express themselves and live the lifestyle of their own, but today it has grown to be a business in a mutual understanding of art, clothing and commerce. In addition to clothing, the brand also operates tattoo parlors and an art gallery. The art is used also in the clothing to make small amount of limited edition products, so the different fields work together to create value for each other. 
As we were visiting the Le Fix gallery, the staff was getting ready for a new exhibition opening for the same evening. The atmosphere was really relaxed although the upcoming event was about to start in few hours. As such the joyful nature of the brand was strongly present in the moment. The exhibition was called “Tales of snakes & holy water”, and it revolved around themes of sinners and saints. For me, controversial themes and the mixing of two contradicting topics is really interesting. The use of materials and shapes was experimental, using paint, objects and different images embraced in bright colors. Aside from the gallery, the shops also display the love for art and especially for the graffiti scene. The graffiti images and art works are strongly present in the interior of the Le Fix store. 
From the art gallery we visited the shop side of Le Fix. It was interesting to experience the more serious and business like side of the brand when Kusk presented us the commercial collaboration lines of the brand. Le Fix has made many collaborations during the years, and the most recent one was with Star Wars, Disney. According to Kusk, it is not easy to collaborate with big companies, as getting through the art work for the Star Wars collaboration alone took around 2 years. Still collaborations are a big part of Le Fix brand, as they have connections all over the world and they really empathize the meaning of a community as part of their universe and business.
The story behind the name of “Le fix” also contributes to the brands genuine ways. According to Kusk, he had the privilege to know a certain hardworking old lady, who owned a store called “Fix”. She was an inspiration to him and the brand was named after her as a tribute to her. As such I feel like Le Fix empathizes a good way of life, “Never just for profit but always for the love of the game”, A good mixture of seriousness and fun! /Laura
Honestly, we had an extremely great time in Copenhagen. Some members of our group were there for the very first time, others have already visited this wonderful place. All of us can undoubtedly claim: “Denmark is a dream land of a young artist”. There are lots of places from which you can see that art lives here. Graffiti, weird but beautiful combination of different colors on buildings, lots of museums and exhibitions.
Everything around is inspiring: starting from the architecture and ending with appearance of an average person. While me and my friend Wang Lu were waiting for the bus, I said for her: “If I had a chance, I would be a street photographer and just go around and photo shoot people and how perfectly they manage to create their own style”. In my opinion, Copenhagen is full of inspiration and each artist can find their way to say thoughts out loud here. When you go for a walk along main streets of Copenhagen, all famous brands have their shops there. When you go inside, each shop has their own style and small things that differentiate their personality. For example, Dr Martens had old famous music playing inside their shop. When we found out where from the sound was – we were significantly surprised. They have an old personalized music box that many bars had in 80s. This small but very stylish thing has created unforgettable experience that each customer should get while visiting the shop.
People around the world come to Copenhagen to see the newest collections of Danish designers. Personally, I was surprised how professional and stylish they are. Such brands like WoodWood, Rascals, Norse Projects and Soulland have stolen my heart. This trip was really important for me in a way that I definitely understood that I want to connect my future with Fashion Industry. I have also decided to change my style because when you attend such events, you see how people look like and learn from them. 
Copenhagen Fashion Week is a perfect way to see THAT world behind the scene. I feel like overall impression was highly above what we were expected. As I am a business student, there was no less important information as for design program students. Designers warmly greeted us and honestly told some private feelings and useful information about Fairs and CPH Fashion Week in general.
If you have a change to visit this incredible place, if you are interested in fashion that has been becoming the passion of your life – you should definitely visit Copenhagen Fashion Week. You will get inspired for a long time and, who knows, maybe particularly you will become inseparable part of the wonderful fashion world! /Anastasiya
