Last week, I was flown up to JHB for the launch of DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN – a Danish brand, renowned for it’s beautiful clothing that fuses ethnic influences with a Scandinavian simplicity, masculine tailoring and vintage inspiration.
DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN is a fashion label that was founded in 1997 by fashion visionary Keld Mikkelsen. Having spent time working in Calcutta India, Keld was very inspired by the idea of combining typical ethnic touches with a very clean, Scandinavian aesthetic.
The result is a luxurious line of clothing that combines modern classics, embellished details, exquisite craftsmanship and inventive elements. You’ll find day wear essentials and beautiful evening wear. I’d best describe the clothing as strong, sexy, wearable and bold. The fabrics are incredible; silks, wool, leather and the softest chiffons. I was also impressed by the beautiful shoes and bags.
The burgundy, grey and blue heels caught my eye. The close-up shot on the bottom right is of the brands iconic ‘Gwyneth bag’ – a must-have from the collection (and priced at under R1500)
I have a serious style crush on the black suede ankle boots and silver knit jersey above
Some of the decor items available at the store – I have my eye on the green ceramic container
Three lines are available at the store, namely:
- DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN
- 2NDDAY (more casual, younger line)
- DAY ET (accessories)
I also got the opportunity to interview Keld Mikkelsen and found him to be smart, funny, totally accessible and oh so stylish (I mean, just look at the man’s attire).
What can we expect from the winter 2015 range?
Keld – “We’re going back to our signature style with more colourful, body conscious pieces that are beautifully embellished.”
Which 3 words best descried the DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN brand?
Keld – “Modern, ethnic and original”
How did the name, DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN come about?
Keld – “ Mikkelsen is my surname, Birger is the surname of our ex partner, Marlene and the DAY stands for clothing that you can wear daily.”
Who is your favourite designer?
Keld – “I’d have to say Dries Van Noten – I like how he combines different aesthetics in a clean, modern way.”
With the man himself, Mr Keld Mikkelsen
The launch event was put together by Jill Grogor and her BRILLIANT team at Zebra Square Publicity It included a magnificent visual and food installation in the center court of Hyde Park shopping centre. Twelve models showcased the beautiful clothing from DAY BIRGER MIKKELSEN, while performing artist Cara Frew kept the guests entertained.
Images from top left:
- Vicky Crease outdid herself with the food installation and catering.
- The models striking a pose wearing pieces from the Day Birger Et Mikkelsen collection.
- Always lovely to hang with the gals – Jennifer Su on my left and one of my JHB based besties, Danielle Franco on my right.
- I couldn’t resist taking a pic of this cake – I swear, I so wanted to cut a slice but kept telling myself, “Candice, don’t eat the installation!”
You’ll find the Day Birger et Mikkelsen store in Hyde Park Shopping Centre next to Charles Greig. In terms of pricing, you’re looking at about R900 for a beautiful fabric bag. Dresses and tops are priced around R2000+ with the decor items being more reasonable. The brand has been brought into SA by the same company as Tiger of Sweden and the pricing is more or less similar. At present, the JHB Hyde Park store is the only one in SA, but Keld tells me he was in CT looking at retail space – so I reckon a CT store is in the pipeline. I CAN’T WAIT!
Check out the (international) DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN website here for more information on the brand.
- You can follow the DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN local Facebook page here.
- Follow DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN on Twitter: @DayBirgerSA
- Follow DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN on Instagram: daybirgeretmikkelsen_sa
Keep your eyes peeled on the blog, as I’ll be giving away an iconic DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN ‘Gwyneth’ handbag (valued at R1199) this week Wednesday. Ladies, this is one bag you really, really want to own!
