CECILIE BAHNSEN SS24 COLLECTION

“In creating this collection, I have been reflecting on the paradox inherent in couture. That when you look up-close at a dress it’s filled with so much intricacy that you can almost feel the touch of the maker’s hand, the love and tenderness that has gone into creating it. But from a distance, the same dress appears to be floating, so effortless, so easy, weightless almost. In this sense, a runway show tends to create an illusion of ease, a perfect presentation of dresses gliding down the aisle. With this show, I wanted to be brave, to show the beauty so close, not only faraway.” - Cecilie Bahnsen, Founder

This season, Cecilie Bahnsen peels back the curtain on her process, with an intimate presentation showcasing the care and craftsmanship (more often craftswomanship) that goes into creating her romantic, ultra-feminine universe. The collection is presented in Paris at a raw space, 35/37, guests seated so close to the runway that fabrics brush up against them in whispers and the intricate details are seen, before taking on new shapes as they float down the runway faraway.

Merging the realms of fantasy and reality, Cecilie continues to hone her vision of “everyday couture.” This season, once again, she explores denim. Uniting this most functional of fabrics with couture traditions – most notably, a cropped denim jacket and matching flouncy skirt trimmed in red stitching. While shades of white and black ground the collection, a palette that runs the gamut from blush pink to poppy red feels like an explosion of love, and for the first time the label works with gingham. A culmination of seasons past, Spring Summer 2024 offers a refined vision, a more mature expression of Cecilie’s universe of modern romance.

With a nod to her Scandinavian heritage, Cecilie plays with knitwear in a spring season context, working with intricate embroideries, floral motifs and transparencies. The silhouettes take the lead from last season, slimmer with less volume. Ethereal dresses take on new attitudes, some styled with raw denim, all dressed down with upcycled ASICS and the label’s own designed shoes. Developed from scratch, heavy soles act as a counterpoint to floral motifs, grounding the collection.

The models walk the runway accompanied by a composition by the Danish composer August Rosenbaum, creating another layer of intimacy through sound and the French singer Suki’s breath. Before the show, backstage, visual artist Freja Sofie Kirk documents the excitement and nerves in the hours leading up to it: once again shining a light on the raw emotions and craft that go into the act of bringing a collection to life. Freja Sofie Kirk’s video installation for Cecilie Bahnsen will be released later this year.

www.ceciliebahnsen.com