At the top of their game, Mark Kenly Domino Tan showed its brilliance

With today's show, designer Caroline Engelgaar put the stamp on why she is the right person to fill the big shoes at Mark Kenly Domino Tan.

LÆS DEN DANSKE UDGAVE HER

Mark Kenly Domino Tan, Thursday 10. August 2023 at 15.00 in Glyptotekshaven

When our Fashion Forum’s reviewer had to pass judgment on Mark Kenly Domino Tan’s AW23 show last season – the first without Mark the man himself and with Caroline Engelgaar as a new designer – it was with the conclusion that it was beautiful, but there was something missing: Mark Tan’s own stardust. And that might have been true. But after the brand’s SS24 show today, it’s clear that Caroline Engelgaar doesn’t need it either – she has her own stardust, which she has generously sprinkled over the collection. Because it was beautiful. Really, really beautiful.

The show was held in the Glyptotek’s garden, where probably the first ray of sunshine of the week paid us a visit and suddenly painted grey Copenhagen back into some colour with the yellow, pink and purple flowers of the flowerbeds shining brightly. And that was also very good, because colours are not what you get from a Mark Tan show – not even with Caroline at the helm. But in return you get the gift of wonderful materials, solid craftsmanship, superior tailoring techniques and playful silhouettes.

The first look was a stunningly beautiful, pearl white, short-sleeved dress in a very thick silk quality with extra-wide seam tape. This was followed by the same style just in shiny black with a thick white beaded wreath. And the pearls were used again in this collection as a chain that tied the elements together. We saw beaded shirts, headpieces, the most adorable white pencil skirt with pearls sewn in little bouquets all over it. And a simple, white tank top with pearls around the edge of both collar and armholes.

The pervasive Amish references with short aprons at the waist, white collars, transparent white hats and head-dresses are not new to Caroline Engelgaar – and they make great show elements that brings a little extra to the brand’s very clean aesthetic. But it is not in the styling that we find the gold nuggets from which the aforementioned stardust is made. Instead, we get these in the individual perfectly worked pieces of clothing. Art works, I almost want to say. Like the long black and white bouclé coat with generously rounded sleeves and hips and accentuated waist. Or in the all-light grey heather double-breasted suit with a long blazer, loose trousers styled over a fine-knit v-neck vest in stripes of white, grey, and light blue.

And yes, I could go on and on because the collection offered one beautiful look after another and was, in its entirety, impressively complete and usable. If only I could just own it all.

See a selection of the show looks below and see the entire collection here.