Helmstedt broke new ground with a safer approach to her world

This show review was translated from Danish to English.

LÆS DEN DANSKE UDGAVE HER

Helmstedt, Thursday, February 1, 2024, at 17.00, Bella Center, 2300 Copenhagen S

Emilie Helmstedt is renowned for crafting universes around her collections that narrate stories and magically captivate us season after season. But tonight, the scenography was stripped back, leaving the vast and not inherently charming hall of Bella Center feeling a world away from Helmstedt’s usual fairy tale narrative. And that was a bit of a shame, especially since I know it wasn’t at all the plan for the scenography to be absent – but that’s what happened, and in a way, you could say the collection had to stand its test without the usual wrapping.

Instead, we were invited on a treasure hunt. The models’ makeup sparkled with gold, and within the collection were small hints on the clothing, such as an embroidered treasure chest and the text ‘Pocket full of treasures’ on a pocket.

For the first time, Helmstedt incorporated black into her collection, and it actually worked surprisingly well. The black colour served as a base for strawberry embroideries on a dress, a short coat with red stitching, and also a new black variant of the previous season’s popular knit sets with alien heads.

The colour blue was once again a significant part of the collection (the last show was dedicated to Emilie Helmstedt’s daughter, Blå), from the simple chiffon styles to the knitwear adorned with little clouds. There was some really fine knitwear, such as the brand’s take on the classic Icelandic jumper, but where the traditional knit pattern in the collection was replaced with strawberries. There was also a bouclé-like set consisting of a short skirt and matching cropped jacket with blue ribbons, which appeared more elegant and mature than what we otherwise know Helmstedt for. On the other hand, we were completely in familiar territory when it came to the outerwear, the printed down jackets, fleece sweaters, and beautifully decorated coats in whimsical colour combinations.

Denim, which has already been a part of Helmstedt for some seasons, came this season as patchwork in items such as a peplum top with matching cargo trousers and an overall decorated with an abundance of brooches. Styling with various brooches in well-known Helmstedt motifs such as the mushroom, strawberry, and cloud was consistent and will undoubtedly be a hit – just as brooches in general are on the rise.

Another clear hit in the collection was Helmstedt’s collaboration with UGG. The cosy boots had been adorned with pearls and embroidery and really worked well in conjunction with the rest of the collection.

The new autumn collection was more wearable and commercially accessible than what we’ve seen before. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing, but we’re so expectant when it comes to Emilie Helmstedt’s shows, so in combination with the lack of magic in the scenography, the overall experience was somewhat underwhelming.

But that being said, I personally believe that the collection will likely be a commercial success – and at the end of the day, that’s probably what counts.

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

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