INTERVIEWS

CHANGE OF DIRECTION

Kim Wedel Hansen, COO Along with its name change, Summery Copenhagen, previously known as Cecilie Copenhagen, is undergoing a complete image overhaul. Known mainly for its popular ‘2 O’ dress with the signature print, the brand is now ready to explore other designs and patterns and expand its range. But the keffiyeh-inspired print will soon be relegated to history to make room for new designs. And from now on, the brand’s identity will be defined by summer – hence the new name. According to COO Kim Wedel Hansen, the warmer season has always been a core element of the brand. In an interview with J’N’C he explains what else is due to change and what the future will hold for Summery Copenhagen.

INTERVIEW RENÉE DIEHL

You just changed your brand’s name from Cecilie to Summery Copenhagen. How did that change come about? What inspired the new name?

Our clothes and collections have always been light, bright and colourful. For some reason, we deeply resonate with summer. Our customers and fans have felt it for years! So it was only a matter of time until we freshened things up and aligned our name with our values. Over the past year, we have been working hard on re-evaluating our identity, realising that it was time to move on from ‘Cecilie’ and fully embrace what we’ve known all along. We have always been known for our high-quality apparel and unique brand spirit – our designs have always been an ode to summer. And now, so is our name.

What other changes will go along with the name change?

We have used this opportunity to completely redesign our website and visual identity. Together with the name, we wanted to infuse the new identity with elements such as a fingerprint – a human touch that goes into each of our designs, which come in two new colours: a soft morning yellow sun and a purple sunset sky.

Your signature dress with the recognisable keffiyeh scarf pattern is still an influencer favourite. Do you think new styles can live up to that success?

Yes, our ‘2 O’ dress is one of the most successful dresses for us and has been for years! Originally it was in the keffiyeh pattern, but we’d never really tried to it in any other patterns. Some may say that the shape, the design of the dress, is just as important as the pattern itself. In fact, we’ve seen that houndstooth is currently leading influencers’ choices!

You’re reinventing your signature pattern in various styles for each collection. What’s the creative process behind that? Are you planning on introducing more signature patterns in the future?

I believe we have come too much of a long way for the brand only to be associated with the keffiyeh pattern. Right now, we are very focused on exploring new patterns and weaves. Our collections always have what is known as a core styles, which is where the keffiyeh pattern plays a major role. But our customers and clients have probably noticed that in the last four to five collections we have been decreasing the amount of core style by introducing something new. Right now, any of the new patterns could become bestsellers in the future, and it doesn’t have to be handloom.

Speaking of new styles: can you tell us a bit more about the spring/summer 2022 collection?

We’ll be launching the pre-spring/summer 2022 collection very soon. Together with the collection, our customers will have a new line of accessories consisting of make-up bags, keychains, passport holders and so on. Not only that, but we are also launching an additional ‘Celebration’ capsule collection that celebrates our new name Summery Copenhagen and the rebirth of the brand. The colours are inspired by the spring flowers that slowly begin to pop up all over the forest floor when the season starts to change. We have taken some of the clas-

sic patterns and are turning them into something new and exciting. We are reborn and flourishing!

How would you describe Summery Copenhagen’s approach to sustainability?

We have made a promise to our customers to be open, honest and environmentally friendly, which is why we have already optimised our production of sweats, swimwear and knitwear to be either fully organic or made from recycled materials. And just a few weeks ago we took a serious look at our supplier’s manual and came up with an optimised code of conduct for production, complying with the most recent regulations in the EU. We also have a ‘plastic policy’, which means that we’re constantly looking to optimise the way we use plastic, so all samples for our agents no longer come in polyester bags. I’d also like to mention that we’re working on a new digital tool to enable our customers to return their used items to be sold on our website: this allows the clothes to have a second, third or maybe tenth life!

What materials are used and what other actions are you taking?

Our production process is quite unique compared to any other clothing brands since we produce our handloom pieces from scarfs and not from fabric rolls. This makes sure we preserve the right pattern and lining of the clothes. It does of course make the process rather difficult and creates larger amounts of waste so right now our minds are on how to make this process more sustainable. We are working with our suppliers on a zerowaste project, turning the leftover offcuts into rugs and tablecloths and in the future maybe even accessories. Our handloom materials are made from cotton;

It’s time for us to move on and explore different waters.

however, we do use organic cotton for our sweat and swimwear, alongside recycled polyamide and recycled wool for our knitwear.

Where does the production take place?

The majority of handloom pieces, which make up approximately 80 percent of the collection, are produced in India. However, we have moved all sweat and swimwear production to Portugal, which is renowned for having sustainable production. And depending on the collection, we also have production partners in Italy for quality knitwear and also China.

Are there any plans for the near, but also more distant future?

We have come a long way in the last few years. And we have finalised our plan to stop producing clothes in keffiyeh or keffiyeh-inspired patterns. This is of course a major decision, but we feel like it’s time for us to move on and explore different waters. That’s both a short and a longterm plan since it will happen within the next year and certainly bring new opportunities for us and our customers to explore new designs for many years to come.

SUMMERYCOPENHAGEN.COM

SUMMERY COPENHAGEN The brand’s signature dress will make way for new designs.