Alexa Chung's a fan; as is Daisy Lowe, Jessica Alba, Kendall Jenner and Alicia Vikander. Often the reason clothes end up on a celebrity back is down to finely tuned, persuasive PR campaigns; and in these times of stars having millions of adoring Instagram followers, money talks too. In these conditions, it usually requires a hefty pile of gold for a label to break through, yet this year, the small, family-run, Copenhagen-based brand Ganni has positioned itself as the exception to this rule. By cannily capitalising on great design, a dollop of cool and — even more unusually for a "hot" fashion label — wearable clothes, it's moved itself firmly into the spotlight.
The insider favourite is helmed by husband-and-wife team Ditte, 38, and Nicolaj Reffstrup, 42, who both describe themselves as “insecure overachievers”. Ganni has been their baby since 2009, when they took over the business from its founder, an art gallery owner and friend of theirs — and invested in it.
Ditte had previously worked as a fashion buyer, while Nicolaj worked in IT as an entrepreneur and, after the demise of an property investment project in Nicaragua, was looking for a new venture, when Ganni came up for offer.
He explains that Ganni does “things differently from other fashion brands. We don’t do three or five-year business plans, we have a vision of what we want to achieve and then do a one-year plan [and focus on that] — which is very similar to tech industries. You don’t know what will happen tomorrow”.
This nimble approach has so far worked out pretty well: business has increased by a steady yet respectable 33 per cent each year. This season Ganni’s been picked up by Net-A-Porter, Selfridges and Browns — all eager to get a slice of their affordable, off-beat chic.
Laura Larbalestier, Buying director at Browns, explains the appeal of the label: “The pieces are imbued with personality but are also very easy to wear — they’re the items that women instinctively reach for, day-in, day-out. We introduced Ganni to Browns for AW16 and our customers responded really well immediately. The fruit-printed T-shirts were a clear indicator of the popularity of the brand, and were an instant sell-out — over 100 T-shirts sold in just a few weeks. The accessible price point [about NZ$85] and bright, optimistic prints really spoke to our customer.”
The down-to-earth yet stylish practicality of Ganni is reflected in the couple’s attitude to life: they live, with their two young children, in central Copenhagen, don’t have a car and cycle everywhere. They both grew up in small villages, and it’s there they escape to when they want a break. (“You won’t see me on a yoga retreat,” says Ditte).
Responsibility is also something they are concerned about — from January they will become carbon neutral. They accept that the quest for newness in fashion is relentless, but believe balancing out their impact on the world is within their power.
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Advertise with NZME.The look of the collections comes very much from Ditte’s own style, about which Nicolaj sweetly says: “I don’t know what she’s doing, but she stands out, she’s always been like that. She has that X-factor.”
The technical outerwear collection — featuring camo-print bomber jackets and neatly cut quilted waterproofs — they launched this month, for instance, is testament to Ditte’s struggle to find warm yet stylish coats to see her through a brutal Danish winter.
Re-fashioning the narrow opinion of Scandinavian style is something that Ganni is also working on. If you thought it was all severe minimalism and Sarah Lund jumpers, then the whimsical prints and off-kilter but tempting colour palettes of Ganni are a refreshing change.
Ditte explains that she “sought a more playful and effortless approach to fashion”.
“We wanted to create a brand without strict dogmas or rules, but with a carefree and optimistic attitude to design and styling. We’re not afraid to mix things up a bit. Style is all about gut feeling and strong personality to us.”
— The Daily Telegraph
