Nikolaj Nielsen celebrates the anniversary of Won Hundred

Won Hundred, founded in 2004 by Nikolaj Nielsen and based in Copenhagen, has its roots in denim and relies on strong craftsmanship. As they approach their 20-year jubilee milestone, they are set to unveil the Fall/Winter 2024 collection Surrender, during the Copenhagen Fashion Week in January. This collection celebrates two decades of absorbing knowledge and inspiration since their inception. Creative Director Nikolaj Nielsen reflects on this journey, emphasising the brand's revival and the culmination of years of experience and expertise. «We've taken time to understand what Won Hundred truly represents. Now, we're ready to unleash the full potential of our work, channeling our collective experiences into the Fall/Winter 2024 collection and drawing inspiration from the past two decades.» In a fashion landscape where collaborations are the norm, Won Hundred's decision to delve into its core essence is a refreshing and audacious move. The industry, once electrified by groundbreaking partnerships like Gucci x Adidas or New Balance x Miu Miu and Margiela x Salomon, is now seeking that lost spark of excitement, venturing into luxe-cult collaborations like Emporio Armani x Our Legacy or Fendi x Stefano Pilati. Won Hundred's journey, focusing on its foundational elements like denim and minimalist design, is a bold statement. It’s a testament to the brand's confidence in its unique identity. By looking inward for inspiration, the brand takes an exciting direction.

While Won Hundred has already ventured into collaborations in the past, such as reviving deadstock denim with (di)vision and creating a limited-edition stool with Fritz Hansen, it seems like the brand is venturing its own way now, keeping an analog approach to visual communication and combining it with modern lookbook presentations, creating an imagery based on the lifestyle of artists. Their NYC love story, shot by Danish photographer Kristine Sokolowski featuring her and her boyfriend Eric Jess, is a self-shoot project capturing both the romance and the city. The recently released Pre-Spring 2024 lookbook features a color blocking knit in a bright yellow hue and deep noir black, a pair of jeans in a novel acid wash, and well fought thru cut out denim.

With a profound emphasis on denim, a material that has come to define Won Hundred's ethos, Nikolaj offers insights into how this fabric is integrated into their upcoming collection. «Denim, the very heart and soul of Won Hundred, is the focal point of our jubilee collection. We've delved deep into our archives to reimagine iconic denim styles that were pivotal in our early years,» he explains. This focus on denim, traditionally a unisex fabric, aligns seamlessly with the evolving landscape of Copenhagen Fashion Week. Historically skewed towards women's fashion, the January event is now expanding its scope. The inclusion of more unisex and men's fashion by brands like Won Hundred represents a refreshing and much-anticipated shift. This not only diversifies the event's calendar, but it also enhances the international allure of Copenhagen Fashion Week, marking a new era in fashion that celebrates both inclusivity and versatility.