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Secondhand Outfits from Copenhagen Fashion Week
Copenhagen Fashion Week is as much about the fashion shows as it is about the street style. We hunted down the best outfits created with secondhand finds.
In 20 years, Copenhagen Fashion Week has solidified its place and reputation as one of the most influential fashion weeks in the world. It is the main fashion week to showcase Scandinavian brands and and in 2020, it became the first fashion week in the world to set sustainability requirements for participating brands.
For many, CPHFW is about the signature Scandi street style: colorful, girly, and whimsical outfits, creative layering and loose silhouettes. Think skirts over pants, headscarves and sailor hats, polka dots, and quirky contrasts like sporty track shorts worn with lace and ruffles.
CPHFW benefits from its small size – many events are accessible and open to all. The crowd is more democratic than at the bigger fashion weeks: it’s not only paid influencers and industry professionals attending the shows. That’s why the street style is also more daring and varied.
Here are some secondhand looks and vintage lovers spotted outside the shows.
Izzy Manuel, 27
Slow and sustainable content creator from UK
“I am a big believer that we wear our values so shopping secondhand is such a powerful tool when it comes to imperfect sustainable changes. Another reason to wear secondhand: there’s enough clothes for the next six generations.
Vintage and secondhand creates the best personal style, as it’s so hard to replicate and it means you can create your own unique style that feels totally you.
Today I am wearing a 1960s petticoat skirt, a castle bag I bought secondhand, and an upcycled necklace made from old kids toys and painted beads. I love them because I feel like they’re all really unique and just represent so much joy.”
Ann Yokoyama, 24
“I bought my t-shirt at a secondhand store in my hometown, Hiroshima, when I was a teenager, and I’ve kept it for many years. I’ve always loved everything about it – the design, the color, and the fit.
The skirt I bought at a flea market in Berlin. The scarf is a gift from a school friend. She bought it at a vintage store in Tokyo. I love the design and the sheer material so much.
The red lingerie top is from a vintage store in France. I’d been looking for some lingerie that I could layer with my outfits, and this one matched my style perfectly.
I don’t think vintage clothing has to be expensive to be special. If you love it and wear it well, that’s what matters.”
Felicia Güemes
Model from Sweden
“I’m wearing a skirt from Chru$h in Copenhagen and a knitted sweater from Beyond Retro in Stockholm. When I dress, I always start with the silhouette and then think about the color palette. Today, I felt like going for big on big.
A secondhand trend I spotted in Copenhagen: scarves! In all different colors and patterns.
I like to shop vintage because there’s something much more meaningful and memorable about finding something you love in a vintage store compared to a regular store. I love knowing that the clothes I wear have been loved by someone else before me.
Being aware of the negative impact that producing new clothes has on the planet but also on the people behind them is extremely important to me. Not caring about it is a big ick. And honestly, a good vintage outfit will always look better than a new one.”
Maggie Zhou, 27
Fashion editor, content creator and Culture Club podcast co-host from Australia
“I’m wearing a fully secondhand outfit! The shorts are from a vintage store in Berlin (the owner says they were part of the German army kit...), the top is from a local market in Melbourne, and the cardigan is from a Melbourne op shop. The hat is my partner’s from when he played baseball as a child, and the bag was two euros from a Parisian flea market.
A secondhand trend I spotted in Copenhagen: resurgence in tapestry! Nostalgic prints are having a comeback.
I like to wear secondhand clothes as they contribute to a circular fashion economy.”
Caitlin Harper-Smith, 30
Content creator from the UK
“My whole outfit is secondhand, which I really do love! The blouse and skirt are from a local charity shop in the UK called Barnardo’s.
The striped jeans and green beaded bag are from Vinted and my necklace is actually from a secondhand market in China. I visited in April and found the best secondhand shopping, which was so fun!
I love the color blocking I’ve done on this outfit. I’m very influenced by colors and love to combine certain combos. I was also drawn to the proportions and layers. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a skirt/dress over jeans.
My hot take: I think rocking up to an event in a nightie that your grandma would have worn in the 60s is chic as hell.”
Ella Lucia Struch, 23
Freelance stylist, graphic designer, Visual Communication student from Denmark
“Everything in my wardrobe is secondhand, except for socks and underwear. I really appreciate my clothes, knowing they all have a story and are unique. I also see my vintage pieces as investments. If I take good care of them, they’ll hold their value if I ever decide to resell them.
I honestly don’t see an excuse for buying fast fashion or new clothes. The argument that some people can only afford fast fashion feels lazy to me. You can often find much better-quality secondhand pieces for the same price. There are already more than enough clothes on this planet!
Copenhagen has some amazing curated vintage stores: Chamoi, Bintagged, Szôba Store, Paloma Vintage, Times Up, Strand 32, and Wilen Store! But I also live for charity shops, especially outside Copenhagen, like Red Cross or Salvation Army.”
Bram de Kam, 23
Master’s student of Fashion Studies from Sweden
“I got my blazer from a clothes swap I organized. The jeans were passed down to me from my older brother who bought them in the late 90s or early 2000s. They had a pretty big hole but I upcycled them with some curtain fabric I bought secondhand from the Red Cross in Bergen, Norway.
I like all of those clothes because I’ve owned them for quite some time or because they have already lived with other people and now they can have a new life with me. I particularly like the jeans because I got them from my brother, with whom I have a very good relationship, and I used to look up to him when I started wearing those jeans which made me feel that I could be like him – and now I like them even more because I upcycled them, making them a bit funky like me.
My hot take when it comes to secondhand shopping is that it should not be seen as an excuse to buy more clothes.
A lot of people think that buying secondhand permits them to buy as much as they want because it’s better for the environment, but before buying any garment we need to be sure we’re actually going to wear it, take care of it, and not throw it away after only a few wears.”
Irene Askedalen, 26
Stylist and writer from Norway
“Shopping secondhand makes me feel like a pirate; I love the thrill of the hunt and being rewarded when I least expect it. And of course, to own truly unique pieces. I’ve never been a trend person. I prefer to experiment, try, and fail, rather than just reproduce someone else’s vision.
You have to be just as critical when vintage shopping as you are with any other shopping. It is a slow, tenacious process filled with frustration when things don’t fit, the quality is poor, or you find fast fashion repackaged as “vintage.”
Curated vintage stores are often overpriced and strip away the down-and-dirty experience.
Now I’m wearing a vintage Finnish dress from UFF in Oslo, Balenciaga sunglasses bought secondhand via Tise, and my mother’s old suede handbag. I adore the distinct details of each piece: the impeccable construction of the green dress, the wonky shape of the sunglasses, and the heavily worn suede texture, which feels like its own history book.
When traveling, I love hunting for hidden physical shops – it’s a great way to explore a new city.”
Carmen Azzopardi, 31
Content creator and freelance writer from Australia
“All my favorite pieces are secondhand. Clothing feels better when it’s got a story behind it and a long life of its own!
My dress, scarf, glasses, flower brooch and bangles are all secondhand. The dress is from a vintage shop in London, it was £20 and fits me like a glove! I was drawn to the color and the drop waist. My glasses are vintage Versace — I was gifted them in 2018. My scarf is from a vintage store here in Copenhagen – I purchased it the day before the event because I looooved the color! My bangles are all thrifted for $1 or $2 from my local Vinnies back home in Sydney.
In Australia I love shopping at Swop and Reunion in Sydney, Goodbyes in Melbourne, secondhand markets, and thrift stores like Vinnies and Salvos. Online I love Guzzi Archive.”
Adolfo Germaya, 37
Stylist and costume designer from Sweden
“Every item of this look was thrifted: pants, shirt and vintage umbrella from Stockholm Stadsmission, yellow blazer from Humana, and brooches from a flea market in Paris.
In many countries people believe that secondhand clothes keep the energy of the previous owners and their soul. I don’t see that as a bad thing. On the contrary, I will feel proud and honored to see the new generations rewearing my old clothes.
I think there are so many clothes in the world that we don’t need to make new ones. The already existing vintage has nice quality and it brings more coolness and personality to your style.“
Emma Lawrie, 34
Trend forecaster from UK
“I am wearing a vintage Fenno Sport dress. I bought it via Instagram DMs from a vintage shop in Poland that sadly no longer exists. I love it because the silhouette and print are extremely striking but still incredibly easy to wear. The old-school cotton is so breathable and light for warmer weather. I adore Fenno Sport prints and have been collecting pieces from their collections for years.
My main reason to wear vintage is aiming for individuality. Vintage and secondhand shopping is how I experiment with and hone my personal style. I like to wear things that are harder to come across because I’ve hunted them down myself.
My unpopular opinion: Vinted is making everything way too cheap! It’s great as a buyer, but rare and one-off items aren’t holding their value the way they used to! I like to be able to offload a rare or hardly worn piece every now and then and I have people offering £10 for it! It’s a vicious cycle because I just hoard items now.“
Lola Elmo, 21
Fashion design student from Argentina
“Almost everything I’m wearing has had a second life. The top started as a vintage dress I found at a shop called Camomille in Maldonado, Uruguay – I cut and transformed it into a top. The jacket is also vintage from the same shop. The skirt came from a film producer who was selling part of her wardrobe; it was originally long, and I shortened and reworked it to make it my own.
Fabrics are my playground. I love finding pieces with history and giving them a completely new life through small interventions and transformations.
Whenever I travel, one of the first things I do is look up local vintage stores, flea markets, and secondhand fairs. I love discovering each city’s identity through the clothes people have left behind — it’s one of my favorite ways to connect with different cultures.
The best vintage pieces aren’t valuable because they’re rare. Vintage isn’t just about the garment; it’s about your eye.
Two people can walk through the same rack, but only one will spot the hidden gem. That’s what makes it so special: your perspective becomes part of the piece.”
Sam C, 31
Producer and stylist from Stockholm
“I’m wearing a feather headband probably from the 60s, vintage Anne Fontaine wrap top, vintage Roberto Cavalli top made into a skirt, and Nike Air Rifts from Dover Street Market in Paris.
I love shopping vintage clothes as they have more personality than new ones, and they are usually made of better materials – even old plastic is better than new.
My hot take: museum pieces are put in vitrines and are instructed to not be touched – don’t touch someone else’s antique piece either if you’ve haven’t asked for permission!”
Find with Gem
60s petticoat skirt- whimsical bag
- Cecilie Bahnsen Asics
- red lingerie top
- chiffon scarf
- beige ruffle skirt
- Louis Vuitton Pochette
- raspberry pink sweater
- blue Adidas shorts
- blue embroidered top
- amber necklace
- blue pleated skirt
- green beaded bag
- George, Gina & Lucy bag
- turquoise silk top
- Melissa × Vivienne Westwood
- brown corduroy blazer
- patched jeans
- neon green graphic shirt
- green 70s cotton dress
- black-and-white silk scarf
- vintage Versace sunglasses
- orange scarf
- salmon pink dress
- blue denim button down
- big bug brooch
- yellow fringe scarf
- Fenno Sport
- vintage graphic print cotton dress
- striped cropped blazer
- denim mini skirt
- vintage Anne Fontaine wrap top
- vintage feather headband
- vintage Roberto Cavalli top