‘Something you can move in’: How this designer became the go-to for unconventional brides

By Kati Chitrakorn, CNN

(CNN) — In the fashion industry, where styles are cyclical and the same trends are repeatedly served up in TikTok and Instagram feeds, coming up with a unique and identifiable look is no small feat. Yet, it’s what Danish fashion designer Cecilie Bahnsen has achieved, with puffy sleeves, lace-up details, organza frills and textured jacquard being among the visual signatures of the namesake brand she founded in 2015.

For Bahnsen, developing that aesthetic has been an organic process — one that draws from her Scandinavian heritage (she was born and raised in Denmark, just outside of Copenhagen). While she later spent time working with fashion designers Erdem Moralıoğlu in London and John Galliano in Paris, growing up away from traditional fashion capitals enabled Bahnsen to “really find my voice and creativity,” the 41-year-old designer said over a video call from her studio in Copenhagen.

Danish design typically places greater emphasis on functionality and comfort, rather than being form-fitting or cluttered. Those traits can be seen in Bahnsen’s work, which is fanciful yet wearable, marking a departure from old ideas of femininity where clothing had to be tight and short (and subsequently uncomfortable).

“The starting point was creating something you could move in, but also something that was easy, that you could just throw on — on a Monday,” Bahnsen explained. That approach, and a liberal use of the color white, has also made the brand a favorite among brides looking for something fashionable yet unconventional to wear to weddings.

Indeed, Bahnsen has long expressed a desire for her designs to be worn every day, rather than be cherished and kept for special occasions. For some, it may seem like a big ask, given that the clothes come with a hefty price tag — a long dress with billowy sleeves and an open back costs £3,378 (about $4,487).

Ali Fitzgerald, buying manager at online luxury site Net-a-Porter, said that the label continues to appeal to customers “drawn to an avant-garde yet feminine style, who values craftsmanship and unique designs.” The retailer has stocked the Cecilie Bahnsen label since 2018, “when Copenhagen-based brands were rising in popularity in the luxury market,” Fitzgerald recalled. Today, amid renewed interest in maximalist fashion, Cecilie Bahnsen continues to be “a standout in this movement and a firm favorite among the fashion set,” she noted. Celebrity fans include model and actor Emily Ratajkowski of “Too Much” and Blackpink singer Jennie.

What brides want

Among one of Bahnsen’s most recognizable garments is her take on the babydoll dress — when you see such a piece on the rails of a high-end retailer like Dover Street Market in Tokyo or Nordstrom in New York, it is often, unmistakably, one of Bahnsen’s creations.

Yet, the garment has deeply political roots: The babydoll is synonymous with female liberation, as it marked a shift away from corsetry and restrictive hemlines at the turn of the 20th century — a time that marked greater personal freedom for women, particularly in terms of physical movement and social expression.

That history, it appears, aligns with Bahnsen’s beliefs. She described her clothes as “hyper-feminine,” but noted that it also makes its wearer feel “strong” at the same time.

Bahnsen’s first dedicated bridal edit — a curated selection of new and older styles, which included several baby doll dresses — launched in early 2024. She spotted an opportunity in weddings after seeing women “coming to us who have saved a catalog of pictures from back in time of our white dresses,” she recalled. “I always have a lot of white in my collections, so it came very naturally.”

Today, the label has become a popular choice for bridalwear, alongside established brands like Vivienne Westwood and Vera Wang, and newer contenders such as Simone Rocha and Molly Goddard.

The biggest shift in bridalwear, Bahnsen observed, is growing demand from her customers for “separates” that could also be worn outside of the big day. “It began around five years ago where people were buying into looks that they could also wear after the wedding and have a second purpose for it.” In addition to dresses, Bahnsen’s bridal collections include flowing skirts and bralettes.

An independent voice

To mark a decade in business, Bahnsen plans to open her first boutique in Copenhagen and stage a runway as part of the city’s fashion week in August. (Over the past few years, she’s become a regular at Paris Fashion Week and still plans to show there in the fall).

The new boutique, located on Store Strandstræde 19 in the center of the city, is “the first place to have our full universe and display the full collection of clothes,” said Bahnsen. The store, she noted, will “have a gallery vibe,” indicating her hope that it won’t merely be a place for transaction that showcases new products to buy, but it will also introduce fans — and potential customers — to her other interests, like discovering art and crafts by local artisans, which will be on display.

For Mie Marie Ejdrup, CEO of Cecilie Bahnsen, the new store is part of a “broader growth strategy,” she explained in a statement. While Copenhagen was selected as “a tribute to our home market and heritage, the long-term vision is to expand within our key international markets,” she said.

Meanwhile, Bahnsen’s Copenhagen show will act as a one-off celebration that looks back at the label’s last ten years. “We decided to create a fully white collection that trickles into silver. It’ll feature many of the silhouettes or fabrics shown before, some put together in new ways,” she teased, describing the result as “a collage of everything we’ve ever created.” Guests attending the show are also invited to wear their favorite Cecilie Bahnsen pieces, she added.

The fact that the label remains independently owned is significant. The current economic climate, rise of fast fashion and shifting retail landscape has made it a tough environment for the survival and growth of many fashion brands.

Yet Bahnsen’s savvy approach to collaborations has helped to boost her financial lifeline. While industry collaborations have long been used to broaden audiences and build hype, her knack for choosing the right partners has consistently led to commercial and creative success. The designer revealed to CNN that she will team up with Alpha Industries, an American military-style outerwear and bomber jacket specialist, next.

“When we add a collaboration to our universe, it’s usually because I’ve seen a friend or someone in the studio wearing something interesting,” explained Bahnsen. The idea to work with Alpha Industries came after she saw “many girls, especially in Japan, styling bomber jackets over dresses.” Bahnsen felt that she could put a softer spin on an otherwise tough-feeling brand. For example, the signature MA-1 silhouette is cropped and reworked with layers of laser-cut fabric that appear to blossom outward, whereas the N-2B styles, which normally feature army colors like dark green, will come with blush pink detailing.

Releasing in January 2026, it follows on the popularity of Bahnsen’s collaborations with the Japanese sportswear company Asics and US outdoor apparel firm The North Face. When her collaboration with Asics first launched in 2023, “everything sold out in under two minutes,” she said. “It’s new to have female voices in the sportswear field, so to come in at Asics and The North Face and add a feminine lens, I think, is what has made it so strong.”

That thinking is arguably emblematic of Bahnsen’s success to date. “As a creative, independent founder, you have to grow with the business and learn to be part of a bigger fashion industry than yourself. So, you need to surround yourself with people who can complement your skills and make you grow,” Bahnsen reflected. “But what I have also learned is that you need to stick to your instincts and hold onto your beliefs, because that is going to be what makes you stand out.”

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