THE GANNI GUIDE TO COPENHAGEN

For centuries, Copenhagen has represented one of the global tastemakers in an array of creative outputs. From pioneering mid-century design to its trailblazing approach to fashion, seemingly anything that passes through the city is amplified and spread onwards like a WiFi hub of innovation. Upon visiting the city for the first time, you get an immediate feel for why it’s long been renowned as one of the happiest on earth. For starters, there’s the city’s architectural beauty, where streets and watersides are filled with a blend of heritage and contemporary — think canals decorated with 17th century, rainbow-hued townhouses and waterfronts lined with angular, architectural masterpieces. Then there’s the extensive array of things to do, from some of the best galleries and museums the world has to offer to a bevy of stylish cafes, bars and stores lining every street.

Over the past decade now, GANNI has represented one of the most exciting brands not just to come out of Copenhagen, but globally — continuing to uphold the city’s reputation as a place where innovation and culture is incubated. In light of that, we took a trip to the famous capital city to see it through the eyes of its very own GANNI, meeting up with various members of staff, from designers to PR Managers, for a guided tour of their favourite things to do.  

Located on Dronningens Tværgade, a historic street in Copenhagen formerly connecting the King’s and Queen’s garden, Studio x Kitchen is an all-day café serving seasonal and homemade dishes in an intimate, design-oriented setting. It sits just before one of the street’s corners adjacent to its sister store, Studio X: a part shop, part design studio curating a selection of contemporary furniture, lighting and home accessories. It also happens to be a GANNI staff favourite, serving as both a showroom for the brand and a breakfast spot regular.

We meet GANNI’s Tony Hua at 9:00 AM for a spot of breakfast, sampling Studio X Kitchen’s granola, rye bread — or rugbrød, as it’s known in Danish — and coffee. We sit down to discuss Tony’s background in design and his relocation from New York to Copenhagen, where he now acts as Senior Knitwear Designer for GANNI. Tony is animated with excitement as he talks about recently joining GANNI, "working at a brand like GANNI is something I can say I’m really proud about – it’s really refreshing to work for a company that actually walks the talk and really embraces change”.

After we finish up having breakfast with Tony, we take the short walk from Studio X Kitchen to the Nyhavn area: the famous 17th-century waterfront, canal and tourist hotspot illuminated by its rainbow-hued buildings that run parallel. It’s here we meet with Victoria Halbye, a Senior Global PR & Communications Specialist at GANNI, to take in the sights of Copenhagen via its famous canals on the Nyhavn canal ride.

Upon sitting down, we’re greeted by a tour guide brimming with the friendliness and enthusiasm you grow accustomed to in Copenhagen. As we move throughout the canal ride, Victoria points out a selection of past GANNI show locations, Ofelia Plads, Copenhill and Refshaleøen, commenting on the importance these hold: "I think the venue is something that always makes the GANNI show so special".

We also pass by an array of Copenhagen's tourist hotspots, such as what we're told by the guide is the city's "most photographed woman", The Little Mermaid: an iconic statue based on the 1837 fairy tale of the same name by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Moving through the city's canals, you really gain a feel for the architectural and engineered brilliance Copenhagen has to offer, passing by cutting-edge buildings and structures like The Black Diamond, the Copenhagen Opera House and the Butterfly Bridge.

After taking in the sights of Copenhagen on an enriching, albeit cold, canal ride, we met up with vintage lover and GANNI Sales Associate, Sara Laddahom Somogyi, to visit one of her favourite spots for finding gems, Time’s up Vintage. Time’s up Vintage is located on the cobbled streets of Krystalgad in central Copenhagen, offering a carefully curated selection of designer vintage ranging from the 1960s to the ‘90s. Since opening its doors in 2006, Time’s up Vintage has steadily grown to represent a crucial element in Copenhagen’s vintage landscape, becoming an institution for locals, designers and even celebrities; I’m told Lady Gaga is one of many A-list regulars.

Upon walking inside you’re greeted by rails of tastefully curated pieces from the higher fashion and designer circles — the fans of Gucci, Chanel and Prada certainly won’t be disappointed — alongside rare accessories ranging from sunglasses to jewellery. Sara fizzes with excitement as she moves from rail to rail, trying on and carefully examining everything from leather jackets to croc-embossed Gucci heels. When asked about the importance vintage holds for her, Sara said "I really love vintage shopping, as first of all it’s more environmentally friendly, but I also find it very fun. I think my most cherished pieces in my wardrobe are vintage, as well as most of my furniture in my apartment".

We then begin talking to the sales assistant, who waxes lyrical about her love of ’90s Vivienne Westwood and Prada, mirroring the infectious energy of Sara. It strikes me here the importance vintage plays in the styling of not just Copenhagen and the people that live here, but also the design language of GANNI in general. When we touch upon this subject, Sara commented "vintage styling is something very important for the city of Copenhagen and its people in general, it’s definitely something that you come across in the fashion and culture scene".

After immersing ourselves in the array of high-end rarities of Time’s up Vintage, we suddenly look at the clocks and realise it’s time to head for lunch. We jump in a nearby taxi and head in the direction of Lumskebugten: one of Copenhagen’s oldest restaurants, with a history dating all the way back to 1854. Once a go-to for sailors and dockers due to its location on one of Copenhagen’s busiest harbour fronts, Lumskegbuten now represents a destination for some of the finest traditional Danish food the city has to offer.

It’s there we meet up with Karoline, a member of GANNI’s Ecommerce team, to sit down and enjoy some Danish delicacies. I’m told that Lumskegbuten is a favourite of GANNI’s, with the label’s Creative Director, Ditte Reffstrup, being a frequent visitor to the famous restaurant. Perhaps most striking about Lumskegbuten is its design, both inside and out — the exterior is bright white and elegant, the interior quirky, yet tasteful. Given Lumskegbuten’s history, it seemed only right we sampled some of the traditional Danish food on the menu. Karoline opted for the prawn and egg Smørrebrød, I went with the fried smoked herring with parsley mayo, radish and egg yolk. Karoline and I then chatted about the food and the importance these dishes hold to Danish people — herring is a staple, I’m told, often ate around Christmas time as a festive tradition. We continue to discuss an array of things ranging from Copenhagen in the summertime to GANNI’s global rise in popularity over the past decade, right before finishing our food and getting ready for our next destination. 

After sampling some authentic Danish cuisine, we headed off to immerse ourselves in another crucial part in the country’s history: design. For centuries, Denmark has pushed the envelope in design across multiple fields — fashion, art, architecture, you name it — and the Designmuseum Danmark, located in the historical Frederiksstaden district, operates as a love letter to that. The building, which dates back to the 1750s, was renovated in the 1920s by Danish architects Ivar Bentzen and Kaare Klint, where it formerly stood as the Royal Frederick’s Hospital.

It's there we meet with Malou, GANNI’s Senior PR & Relations Manager, to enrich ourselves and become inspired through all things Danish design. Malou tells us she used to live opposite the museum and has visited many times throughout the years, making her the perfect unofficial guide. The first exhibition we wander through, dubbed “The Future is Present”, questions the future of design in a world that’s ever changing. My attention is immediately grabbed by a display showcasing the future of nutrition and “hypno experiences”. A single energy tablet that covers all of your nutritional needs? A product that’s currently being worked on. A psychoactive pill that allows you to experience historical events in your sleep? Also a near reality. It’s all somewhat eerie and Black Mirror-like, but perhaps the future really is now, as the exhibition suggests.

We then move on to other areas of the museum, like “Powerful Patterns”: an exhibition in partnership with fashion designer and musician, Henrik Vibskov, which explores patterns as an artform between both art and design. It’s easy to see why a brand like GANNI would visit the design museum to take in exhibitions such as these, given the importance patterns play in its visual codes. From there we moved on to “The Magic of Form”, which delves into the history, trends and inspiration of Danish design, with work from Danish luminaries such as Hans J. Wegner, Arne Jacobsen and Louise Campbell.

After leaving the Design Museum brimming with inspiration, we jump in another taxi and head over to the Vesterbro district. Our destination was RESTO BAR, a newly opened Italian bistro located on the shopping street of Vesterbrogade, where we’re joined by Michelle, who works in GANNI’s customer service team. Though the restaurant has only been open since the end of January, the buzz surrounding it is palpable, as we excitedly take our seats in anticipation for the food ahead.

We ordered dishes to share, the standout being the risotto with zucchini and asparagus, the tomato and mozzarella and the puntarelle, anchovy and lemon. Michelle and I discuss the joys of living in Copenhagen and the fun in working for a brand like GANNI. I get a sense that the community-focused approach of the brand is not just outward facing, but also something that’s fostered from the inside — "GANNI is a great place to work. You feel like you’re part of a community who share a common interest for fashion and putting out great energy into the world", said Michelle. After chatting and finishing our food, we all leave RESTO BAR holding the same opinion: that we’ll be returning as soon as we possibly can.

We head out of RESTOBAR and take a short stroll through Vesterbrogade until we reach Bar à Vin: a wine bar located on the ground floor of the Coco hotel. Its interior is elegant and relaxed, though it’s the courtyard that really draws you in: a serene, Parisian-inspired oasis filled with greenery. From there we sit down to enjoy a post-dinner drink – some choose to share a bottle of orange wine, while I keep it simple and opt for a lager. It’s there, as I drink my Danish lager and reflect upon the action-packed day we’ve had, that I conclude that Copenhagen has well and truly exceeded all my expectations.