Profiles of fashion designers to follow: Nicklas Skovgaard and his unexpected

When researching about this Danish womenswear fashion designer Nicklas Skovgaard, there is one word that consistently emerges across references to his eponymous same name brand. That word is “unexpected”. Indeed, this term is key to understanding, as well as describing the essence of Nicklas Skovgaard’s work, which epitomizes the concept of unexpected luxury. The designs of Nicklas Skovgaard masterfully blend romanticism and realism, pushing the boundaries of fashion by marrying unconventional materials with classical forms. So, raise your hands now if you know who has made the trendiest bubble silhouette a signature? The correct answer, of course, is quite… expected.

Unexpected luxury

Founded in 2020, the Copenhagen-based brand Nicklas Skovgaard is redefining textile design with a unique approach that combines self-taught weaving techniques and material storytelling. The designer skilfully navigates the delicate balance between nuance and classical elements, creating carefully crafted dichotomies that evoke the sensation of awakening from a dream. Skovgaard’s work is both experimental and surprising, yet unmistakably his own, making his designs irresistibly captivating. By orchestrating these classical and unconventional symphonies within his signature textiles, Nicklas Skovgaard has cultivated a brand that exists at the intersection of romanticism and realism.

Unexpected parallels

Nicklas Skovgaard is renowned for its strong, articulate design language that captivates through unexpected contrasts. The meticulous, handcrafted nature of the collections is evident in details like hand-woven textiles paired with water-repellent fabrics and original cuts featuring voluptuous peplum hems, puffed sleeves, and exaggerated shoulders.

Initially, Skovgaard’s designs were more straightforward: hand-woven jackets with goose feathers, knit dresses adorned with distressed bouquets, and woollen caps. However, his desire to experiment led him to blend his woven fabrics with those found in thrift stores and flea markets around Copenhagen. The result was something far more eclectic – somewhere in between a baroque and ’80s-prom fever dream.

Indeed, Skovgaard’s signature lies in his mastery of contrast. A kitschy ’80s lace wedding dress becomes strikingly unconventional as he pushes beyond cliché, with a basque waist on a voluminous silhouette subtly dropping lower, achieving a sensually sacrilegious effect. Or consider a baby-pink bulbous dress crafted from disco sequin fabric; it flirts with playfulness but avoids infantilization by opting for a more mature ’50s silhouette. His garments are steeped in historical references yet are never bound by time.

Unexpected silhouettes

The Copenhagen-based label’s design philosophy is akin to storytelling, and its silhouettes are no exception. They are provocative, often possessing a strange yet captivating visual appeal through unexpected manipulations and combinations, aiming to evoke a dreamlike state influenced by various forms. Notably, as Skovgaard himself has acknowledged, the bubble skirt has become a signature of his brand. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he played a key role in its worldwide popularity. To further solidify this iconic piece, Nicklas Skovgaard recently unveiled his Spring/Summer 2025 collection, partly inspired by 80s aerobics fashion. The collection presented multiple interpretations of the bubble skirt, extending its influence into dresses’ domain as well.

Unexpected inspiration

Nicklas Skovgaard’s brand seamlessly weaves together a wide array of inspirations and influences drawn from art, pop culture, personal memories, and various historical eras. These sources are often unexpected, ranging from baroque aristocratic portraiture to Madonna’s music videos. For example, his latest shows not only revealed his personal affection for the ’80s but were also inspired by the image of his mother. The latest Spring/Summer’25 show for the Copenhagen Fashion Week featured the aerobics videos Nicklas’ mother made during that decade —a playful blend of puffed-up glitz, glamour, and gym culture.

Skovgaard’s collections are rich in retrospective elements, combining artistic motifs with a modern twist. A standout example is his trompe-l’œil pieces, a concept sparked by an interview where he was asked to choose a favorite painting. He selected a 17th-century trompe-l’œil canvas by Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts, which became one of the key influences in his designs.

Unexpectedly expected show

It is quite common for most designers waiting a decade, or even two, before staging a retrospective, but Skovgaard has never been taking a well-trodden path based on tradition. For his third Copenhagen Fashion Week appearance, he once again opted for an artsy exhibition – a white cube installation that not only documented his previous two shows but also introduced a new performance piece to showcase his Spring/Summer’25 collection. The centrepiece of this presentation was performance artist and frequent collaborator Britt Liberg, who dramatically dressed herself in the designer’s now-signature balloon skirts and draped dresses.

Adding to the spectacle, two men pulled back curtains to reveal 16 mannequins adorned in Skovgaard’s distinctive looks, featuring sequins, feathers, and sculptural elements. Liberg then began dancing between the mannequins, moving languidly along the front row, creating an engaging, theatrical atmosphere.

This kind of show “moment” is increasingly common in fashion capitals like London or Paris, but it’s still an unexpected rarity in others. What is more, while some well-established Danish brands have incorporated viral or performative elements into their recent shows, it’s unusual for an emerging designer to break from the catwalk tradition so boldly.

So, when the performance ended, the applause was, as expected, deafening.

Text author: Aušra Juozapaitytė