Patrick Michael Hughes Senior Fashion Editor Men's Fashion Writer
Photographs by James Cochran
COPENHAGEN: P. L.N. is a collection based on uncompromising visual expression and a site specific experience. In a long dark runway lit with spotlights with a soundscape created by early nineties, Cologne based musicians Carla Subito and Marlon Shy of Fetish Park, Peter Lundvald Nielsen presented a strong, edited collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week A/W 2023.
P.L.N. showcased a notable maturity and polished construction, all while keeping its stylistic truth to the subcultures of Central Europe.
A/W 2023 was also far more entrenched in women's silhouettes than men's fashion for the forthcoming A/W 2023 fall season. The body was front and center, wrapped , bound and tailored in mainly shades and finishes of black with items in gray, dark earth tones and deep auburn red hair accessories. There were many beautifully crafted pieces in leather and denim. One of the standouts was a leather jacket which laced up the front.There is a historic and understated vocabulary in Nielsen's work. In the past he has looked to ecclesiastical robes and long garments. However, for the A/W 2023's collection the designer seemed to move beyond the Gothic robe into a Renaissance of eye catching clothing. P.L.N's modern well nuanced shift is visible in seam variation to open webbing all resulting in an outstanding design variation and construction. The craft of creating a wearable forms with an indelible sexy edge gave Collection III a confidence beyond street culture or street wear. Nielsen demonstrated a his talent of understanding the body, for all gender expressions.
Noteworthy details of the collection were linked to distressed fabrication, zippers, cargo pockets, long indulgent fringe and an abundance of top stitching. Last season's slashed was replaced with finished and tied together. The styling and use of accessories had a look of Danish mythology or folklore another connection to what makes Nielsen's work Copenhagen.
P.L.N. is one of the three recipients of CPHFW NEWTALENT supported by Circulose®, a 100% recycled material. P.L.N. has been a brand that is based on sustainable ideas which is essential to the brand's aesthetics and thoughts about the future. P.L.N. only works in “Made to Order” and will continue to work that way, because of its love of the craft of making clothing linked to the companies commitment to the environment. P.L.N. also has continuing commitment to recycling of clothes often seen in the brand's future collections. P.L.N looks at old clothing materials, silhouettes and uses and utilizes it to their advantage.
Peter Lundvald Nielsen is a talented designer with a true vision, a rising talent who has proven himself as thinking and creating consistently stronger collections. This is a designer who needs to be watched. His vocabulary is growing. It would be interesting to think of him in New York and showing in Milan with a incredible luxury back of house as the new creative head of TOM FORD in 2024... now that would be a gut punch and an appropriate youthful kick in the groin for a dusty American brand.
