Danish label Ganni epitomizes cool, from its effortless silhouettes to the subtle details adorning each piece (hello, pilgrim collars)—and it all starts with Ditte Reffstrup. The creative director of the cult brand, which counts the Hadids, Selena Gomez, and Beyoncé among its army of #GanniGirls, has ushered in a new era of relaxed sophistication ever since taking the helm with her husband and business partner, Nicolaj, in 2009. Based in Copenhagen since graduating high school, Reffstrup oozes the ease of Scandi girls living in the capital city. At Ganni’s dinner and screening of its FW22 collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week, she wore her tousled hair down with a black turtleneck, button-front mini skirt, and cowboy boots, dancing with the fervor of someone who just finished her COVID quarantine. Here, browse Reffstrup’s guide to surveying Copenhagen like a true Dane.
TRAVEL
o Bike — I bike everywhere in Copenhagen, which is famous for its bike culture. I don’t have a driver’s license, and I never felt like I needed one because the city accommodates alternative transport to cars so well. Biking is the best way to experience your surroundings—I always pick up so much inspiration on my rides.
o Walk — With its short distances and green spaces, Copenhagen is the perfect walking city. You can pick up a coffee to-go from one of the many incredible coffee shops and take a stroll in Frederiksberghave or along the canal with a friend or a podcast in your ears.
o Swim — The city is surrounded by water and some of the cleanest canals in the world—so clean that you can jump in! I love taking a dip on the way home from work in the summertime. It’s the best feeling.
STAY
o Radisson Collection Royal Hotel — Built in 1960, Danish design dynasty Arne Jacobsen’s hotel is Copenhagen’s best-kept secret. It’s the only skyscraper view of the city. Ask the hotel staff for a tour of one of the original rooms—everything down to the bedsheets is intact.
o Hotel Sanders — A boutique hotel founded by former ballet dancer Alexander Kølpin located close to the Nyhavn canal. It’s got such a cool mid-century modern Danish Design vibe, and the upstairs glass-covered roof terrace is the perfect place for a drink.
o Coco Hotel — Located in Vesterbro, which hosts a mecca of great restaurants, bars, and shops, this hotel is run on renewable energy, and the rooms are all created with a unique mix of bespoke and vintage furniture.
EAT
o Noma — The ultimate introduction to new Nordic cuisine. During its first reopening, the restaurant turned its garden into a natural wine bar selling burgers that people could grab on the go. Pretty genius!
o Slotskælderen hos Gitte Kik — There’s nothing more Danish than smørrebrød, our famous open-faced sandwich. Gitte Kik has been around for over 100 years and is an icon of classic Copenhagen.
o Apollo Bar — Fashion’s ongoing crush is chef Frederik Bille Brahe’s Apollo Bar at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, the best place in town to see contemporary art. What a fine pair they make.
SHOP
o Ganni Bremerholm — We opened our flagship store in central Copenhagen in 2020. It’s located right underneath our main office and serves as a place for us to invite our community into the Ganni universe, which makes it feel like one big family. We have an exhibition space right next door—a big part of our brand is championing new artists and bringing fashion and art together.
o Jerome Vintage — I have always loved vintage. It ensures that clothes are loved forever, gives freedom to everyone to express their personal style, and enables reinvention in our wardrobes in a circular way.
o Holly Golightly — CPH’s best collection of luxury fashion with an interesting mix of art, beauty, jewelry, and carefully curated vintage clothing, as well as shoes and accessories.
EXPERIENCE
o Vega — Music is one of my biggest sources of inspiration, and Vega is my favorite place in Copenhagen to watch live music. It has a long history and beautiful architectural interiors with so many crazy stories to tell. It immediately felt like the perfect backdrop for our fall/winter 2022 show, which we chose to shoot there. It was an epic experience!
o Louisiana Museum of Modern Art — One of my all-time favorite museums. The architecture is pure beauty, so light and natural in how it blends in with the waterside surroundings by the coast north of Copenhagen. The glass-walled cafeteria offers amazing views, and the art is of course in a league of its own. I always come home inspired.
o Amalienborg Palace — I love watching the changing of the guards here, where the Danish queen lives. It’s a very classic tourist thing to do, but there’s something so Danish about it. Plus, the palace is right by the canals, close to the spectacular Copenhagen Opera House.
Claire Stern is the Deputy Editor of ELLE.com. Previously, she served as Editor at Bergdorf Goodman. Her interests include fashion, food, travel, music, Peloton, and The Hills—not necessarily in that order. She used to have a Harriet the Spy notebook and isn’t ashamed to admit it.
