Showing posts with label Denmark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Denmark. Show all posts

Knights in Armor by Asger Juel Larsen

Asger Juel Larsen was born in Espergærde, Denmark—the little town in which famous writer Hans Christian Andersen was once a pupil.

As long as he can remember, Asger has nurtured a deep interest in how men and women dress, which is bursting on to the international scene.

This summer, the young student designer graduated with a BA in Menswear from the University of the Arts at the London College of Fashion, where his final year collection was awarded ”best in the class.”

Reflecting a heavy masculinity—in both look and weight—Asger reports that the collection is actually a mirror of himself.

Asger drew his inspiration from extensive research on knights and their armament of the medieval period as he experimented with developing nontraditional materials and morphing opposites; namely, voluminous and the slim shapes combined into one silhouette.

The centerpiece of Asger’s collection is the reproduction of the chain mail, which consists of small rings forming a mesh that he fashioned into what was called a habergeon—a shirt of mail—and a coif, or hood of mail.

Not only does Asger exhibit himself as a talented and skillful designer but also an avid history buff!

Now at age 27, Asger is heading to Milan in September as one of the 26 finalists for the highly coveted Mittelmoda Fashion Award.

Good luck to you, Asger!



Photos and slideshow Copyright Asger Juel Larsen.

Jazzing it up with Transcendent Black by Christian Westphal

It’s not often that a nation’s capital is situated across several islands and islets, but such is the case with Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.

Once a fishing village named Havn , the "harbor" soon grew into a commercial center and is now reputed the most livable city in the world with the best quality of life, where 1/3 the inhabitants commute on bike!

Copenhagen has seen many great Danes in history like author and poet Hans Christian Anderson, who wrote the Ugly Duckling and the Emperor’s New Clothes.

One of the greatest Danes in the fashion world is undoubtedly emerging designer Christian Westphal. Born in Copenhagen, Christian graduated from the Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris, launching his high-end menswear brand in 2006.

Inspired by rainy Sundays, Christian Westphal introduces men to tight-fitting furs in his 2009 a/w collection entitled Transcendent Black, which combines images of Shakespearean heroes with the Japanese sword fighters of Kendō.

Westphal has also outfitted the Scottish rock group from Glasgow, Franz Ferdinand, as they presently tour the US and Europe for their new album ”Tonight.” Check to see if the group is playing in your city to get a firsthand view of Christian Westphal’s post-bop jazz!



Slide show Copyright by Christian Westphal.
Photo 2009 a/w collection Copyright by Christian Westphal.