The Danish people are incomprehensibly kind. And gorgeous. It’s baffling. And there is none of the arbitrary hostility that decorates Manhattan streets and bar scenes, this ashen city where being a dick has escalated to an art form. It’s refreshing and theoretically wonderful, but generally off putting for the jaded, i.e. me. There is, however, a beautiful gothic aesthetic in Copenhagen (and much of Scandinavia in general) that runs through the heart of the mainstream, not in a brooding or macabre way, but a sort of black asymmetry that adds a pervasive edge to the city’s art and fashion. The main criticism from the native pros seemed to be that certain shows were “too commercial,” whereas I can think of no greater compliment thrown around New York. The Copenhagen Fashion Week team put together a full city spectacle, a celebration of artisanship, expression, and commerce that establishes the city proudly amongst the other geo-specific heavy fashion hitters. It’s a force to be reckoned with. A beautifully face’d force. God damn they’re freakishly beautiful.

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