The Copenhagen Boys
Denmark is a melting pot of well-designed inventions and creations that thrive off the minimalistic lifestyle that breathes through the country, and especially the capital city, Copenhagen. The neatly packed city of Copenhagen has birthed some of the most fashionable and eccentric brands that we now know and love today. The list is endless including fashion powerhouses like Soulland, Henrik Vibskov, Astrid Andersen, Wood Wood and Norse Projects, just to name a few. Yet, we are almost clueless on the creatives and youth of this organic, architectural hub. PAUSE meets some of the local creatives from Denmark’s capital city to find out what it’s like living in Copenhagen.
Photographer: Victor Jones // @imvictorjones
Interview by: Johnson Gold // @johnson_gold
Transcribed by: Anna-Marie Descartes // @annamariedee
Max Pedersen
Name: Max Pedersen
Age: 19
Nationality:
Half Danish, Half Nigerian.
Your favourite thing to do in Copenhagen?
Hanging out with friends.
The best place to eat in the city?
Gasoline Grill.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Some of my inspiration comes from Lil’ Wayne but mostly myself.
How has Copenhagen influenced your style?
It hasn’t influenced my style at all, it just makes me wear more jackets.
Describe your style in one world?
Simple.
Favourite shop in Copenhagen?
The Siersted Store.
What is your favourite brand?
Either Acne Studios, Supreme or Undercover.
What’s the best part about being a creative in Copenhagen right now?
The fact that I can organise a lot of events and be involved in the fashion scene. Copenhagen is a very up and coming city so it’s kind of like a spotlight for everything new.
Instagram: @itsmaxordie
Morten Holm Kohlwes
Name: Morten Holm Kohlwes
Age: 21
Nationality: Danish
Your favourite thing to do in Copenhagen?
I like to hang out with my friends and enjoy the city but it’s much better in the summer because you can enjoy the city more and be social plus there are a lot more things to do.
The best place to eat in the city?
There are so many places, it kind of depends on what you’re looking for but for me, I’d probably say Neighbourhood or Kebabish.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
A lot from the music scene. I like rappers like Uno The Activist, he’s quite cool. And also my friends, sharing ideas with them gives me a lot of inspiration too.
How has Copenhagen influenced your style?
I think Copenhagen is really raw in a way and the weather’s so s**t here most of the time anyway, so you have to wear clothes to match it. I also think there’s a lot of things for the youth going on in Copenhagen too, like a lot of movements, but it’s still growing.
Describe your style in one word?
I wouldn’t be able to describe it in one word – it’s just … me.
Favourite shop in Copenhagen?
Either Storm or Wood Wood. Wood Wood has a lot of cool Japanese stuff.
What is your favourite brand?
Right now, Undercover or Number (N)ine.
What’s the best part about being a creative in Copenhagen right now?
The scene is still so young, so a lot of people are coming out with different vibes and different views on the city so I think now is a good time to be creative in Copenhagen.
Instagram: @mor10.kohlwes
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Adam Abbas Bock
Name: Adam Abbas Bock
Age: 19
Nationality: Ugandan, German and Danish
Your favourite thing to do in Copenhagen?
Going to my favourite coffee shop to smoke cigarettes and drink black coffee [laughs].
The best place to eat in the city?
I live like 2 minutes from a place called Pixie so that’s probably my favourite.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My friends.
How has Copenhagen influenced your style?
That’s a difficult question. There are so many different people in Copenhagen and I’ve got so many friends from different cities so I just take everything from everywhere.
Describe your style in one world?
Low-key.
Favourite shop in Copenhagen?
Studio Travel vintage store.
What is your favourite brand?
I don’t really have a favourite brand, I mainly like the vintage stuff that I find.
What’s the best part about being a creative in Copenhagen right now?
It’s a very accepting city so you can be whatever you like and not get judged.
Instagram: @lillebittebock
Jonathan Rashidi
Name: Jonathan Rashidi
Age: 19
Nationality: Danish, Rwandese and Congolese
Your favourite thing to do in Copenhagen?
Hang out with my friends, go to parties and just being around the culture and people who understand it.
The best place to eat in the city?
There’s this Kebab place called Kebabistan. The prices and food are so good.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I’ve always had my own style, I’ve always dressed really well and people would always tell me that I look good but these days I get a lot of my inspiration from the internet. You can say I’m a product of the internet too so like Instagram, modelling, travelling to different countries and experiencing different cultures.
How has Copenhagen influenced your style?
Not much, like I said I’m influenced by myself or the culture.
Describe your style in one world?
‘Elastic’ because it could anything.
Favourite shop in Copenhagen?
Siersted store, of course.
What is your favourite brand?
Rick Owens.
What’s the best part about being a creative in Copenhagen right now?
Inspiring young kids to develop their personalities and their own taste. There are so many kids who are influenced by people like me and Max especially because we stand out, you know, we’re black with dreads and there aren’t too many black people in Copenhagen. Rappers these days have such an impact, so I think kids link me and Max to those people, so they automatically see us as cool (laughs) but I want to make sure that they aspire to be themselves.
Instagram: @kosmathan
Anton Schmidt Jensen
Name: Anton Schmidt Jensen
Age:18
Nationality: Danish
Your favourite thing to do in Copenhagen?
Smoke weed.
The best place to eat in the city?
There’s a Ramen place that’s really good but I don’t remember the name.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I look at stuff.
How has Copenhagen influenced your style?
I really don’t know, I don’t think it has.
Describe your style in one word?
A bum.
Favourite shop in Copenhagen?
Siersted.
What is your favourite brand?
Commes des Garcons.
What’s the best part about being a creative in Copenhagen right now?
It’s fun, I guess. You get to see places and hang out with cool people.
Instagram: @antonschmidt_
David Poulsen
Name: David Poulsen
Age: 21
Nationality: Danish
Your favourite thing to do in Copenhagen?
I don’t think there’s a lot of exciting things to do in Copenhagen, but I like hanging out with friends and going to different places.
The best place to eat in the city?
I think Neighbourhood is good but for cheaper prices probably any Shawarma place.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Just looking at other people on Instagram, I travel a lot so I look at how people from different cities dress and looking at how brands create trends.
How has Copenhagen influenced your style?
It makes me more minimalistic. I think in London and other European countries there’s a lot of branding but in Copenhagen, it’s more subtle so it’s more about the cut, the material and the way it looks on you and not just the brand.
Describe your style in one word?
Clean cut but experimental.
Favourite shop in Copenhagen?
Siersted because I own it (laughs) other than that maybe Henrik Vibskov.
What is your favourite brand?
Pigalle’s in-store line is pretty cool.
What’s the best part about being a creative in Copenhagen right now?
I think the best thing is there’s a lot of room for improvement. Copenhagen is pretty boring anyway so we have a lot to learn from other European cities and invent our own scene from them.
Instagram: @davidpoulsen
Gustav Laursen
Name: Gustav Laursen
Age: 21
Nationality: Danish
Your favourite thing to do in Copenhagen?
Going to Christiania in the summertime with my good friends.
The best place to eat in the city?
I like Thai food.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from my friends and a lot of artists. Right now I’m very obsessed with an artist called George Condo.
How has Copenhagen influenced your style?
It’s led me to mix streetwear with old vintage fashion.
Describe your style in one world?
Simple.
Favourite shop in Copenhagen?
Studio Travel.
What is your favourite brand?
Rick Owens – they have some sick pieces
What’s the best part about being a creative in Copenhagen right now?
It’s such a free town so people are very open-minded get to do whatever they want.
Instagram: @gustavlaursen
