The Monocle Minute

Cream, buttermilk, eggshell and bone. Ivory, pearl and alabaster. Many brands showing their spring/summer 2025 collections during Copenhagen Fashion Week, which ends today, have offered up a spectrum of beige – in a tasteful way, of course. At Skall Studio, a breezy and bohemian collection of relaxed shirts, dresses and denim drew inspiration from French-Irish jewellery designer Loulou de la Falaise. More neutral tones and minimalist cuts came down the outdoor runways of Danish brands The Garment and MKDT. Many of the fashion companies here seem to have chosen the kind of restraint that we have come to expect – and appreciate – from Scandinavian creatives.

Even the shows that departed from a pared-back palette demonstrated a commercial savviness by presenting pieces that are wearable and with mass appeal – no doubt a reflection of the financial challenges that the industry is facing. Under the floodlights of Østerbro Stadion, Baum und Pferdgarten sent down the racetrack a collection of colourful and preppy pieces as the beer-fuelled crowd cheered on the models who matched their stride to the beat of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”. Ahead of the show, founders Rikke Baumgarten and Helle Hestehave told me about their desire to contrast the sporty style of the Olympics with the power dressing of the 1980s. It was kitschy but it certainly worked. Don’t be surprised if you start spotting rugby shirts paired with a blazer or tailored trousers in the office. At Finnish brand Marimekko’s show, an abundance of floral prints from creative director Rebekka Bay still stayed within the boundaries of shirt dresses and shorts.

At times, the safety and simplicity of the collections seemed at odds with the creativity found on the actual streets of Copenhagen between shows. It has been refreshingly tasteful but if Copenhagen Fashion Week becomes known for playing it safe, it will struggle to compete with the pageantry and spectacle of shows in London, Milan, Paris and New York. Sometimes, a little fantasy goes a long way.

Grace Charlton is Monocle’s associate editor. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.

The US is on track to overtake China as Germany’s largest trading partner. Exports and imports between Europe’s largest economy and the US totalled €127bn over the first six months of the year, while trade with China levelled off at €122bn. If that trend holds for the rest of 2024, it would be the first time in eight years that a country other than China has been Germany’s largest trading partner. The news will be welcomed by politicians wary of China’s assertiveness on the global stage and Germany’s dependence on its business.

But there will be concerns that the European nation’s overall exports fell 3.4 per cent in June – a significant drop for a country that depends on trade. Economist Carsten Brzeski says that the shift from China to the US is actually more about the Asian country than Germany. “This trend has been in the making for a while,” Brzeski tells The Monocle Minute. “It suggests that China is increasingly able to produce goods, such as EVs and cars in general, that it normally imports from Germany.”

As global temperatures continue to rise, Paris is in the process of creating smarter and greener urban spaces for children. The aim is to create more accessible play areas and “cool zones”, where children can evade the heat. As part of the initiative, authorities in the French capital are aiming to create 25 to 30 schoolyards per year; 131 have already been completed. “Our goal is to ensure that every courtyard has natural spaces for activities,” Delphine Hammel, project director at the Department of Educational Affairs, City of Paris tells The Monocle Minute.

“We also want to make sure that they are accessible for those with disabilities, so that all children have suitable play environments and parents can easily access the equipment." Beyond play, the new spaces aim to provide refuge from the heat. “The idea is to have islets within the city where the temperature is lower and offer sheltered environments for the whole community,” adds Hammel. It’s a cool idea from Paris. Focusing on more child-friendly spaces can improve quality of life for all.

Just before the start of the 110 metre hurdles semi-finals on Wednesday, American athlete Grant Holloway was caught on camera, in a packed Stade de France, staring down the series of obstacles he had to overcome.

Tune in for our final edition of Monocle in Paris on Monocle Radio today, from 08.00 London time.

Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games can be a great catalyst for urban transformation. This week we report from the French capital as it plays host to the world, to find out more about the green initiatives, housing policies and sustainable architecture taking place. Plus: what sort of city will be left for Parisians once the Games leave town?