Other Ways of Seeing: Cecilie Bahnsen

“Seeing comes before words.”
– John Berger (Ways of Seeing)

In September what was confined to the screens for a year went back to where it belongs: on the runways and onto the streets for the return of the fashion weeks.

Naturally, the ways of presenting have changed, with many designers continuing to adopt new ways of showcasing their collection, whether it be via digital runway, film, exhibition or showroom. Margiela made the conscious decision to stick to digital, whereas Balenciaga brought back the spirit of old school spectacles.

Despite the Covid-pass securities and outfit-coordinated-masked industry figures, the return was a hint of normalcy we were all craving. It’s not to say that we have overcome the pandemic, but rather, that this marks a new era and with it, a situation that has forced us to push our creativity further – to reimagine and redefine the ways of seeing.

Embracing this opportunity was Cecilie Bahnsen, who presented her Spring Summer 2022 collection at Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire with a film installation “My Heart is Pounding,” alongside artistic collaborations with Takashi Homma on a photo exhibition and sound performance by Berlin-based artist, Okay Kaya.

The collection is a celebration of the duality of modern femininity – a careful balance between romanticism and practicality.

Guiding us through the presentation was the designer herself. When asked about her inspirations, Bahnsen points to one of her designs, specifically, at the balloon-like sleeve. She explains that the familiar shape was inspired by the silhouette of rolled-up sleeves she has seen of girls on bikes on the streets of her homeland, Denmark – and it’s these “real” women and her team of women that are her continuous source of inspiration.

With these inspirations, the collection welcomed a change, the introduction of a new colour – a striking red, a surprise for those that have associated the brand with softer palettes. Additionally, we noted new techniques such as camellia floral cutout-flowers made with silicon pens and new silhouettes that wrap the body in asymmetrical folds. However, despite these “new changes,” Cecilie reminds us that the collection was designed with the feelings of past collections at the core.

Nearing the end of our walk and discussing the nature of presentations, Bahnsen admits missing the spontaneity and highs of the runway but finds beauty in exhibitions that allow you to experience the collection intimately, noticing the subtleties such as the crinkling sound of the fabrics that add life to the garments, building an emotional connection to the item – the ethos of Cecilie Bahnsen.