I was about to walk past Agurk Studio’s stand at Revolver during Copenhagen Fashion Week when a jersey patterned dress caught my eye. It wasn’t the kind of pattern I usually see on Scandinavian clothes, but it was fresh, quirky and colorful.
Agurk began as a school project in 2014 between Vibe and Camilla – they were both studying fashion design at TEKO in Copenhagen at the time – and quickly morphed into a business they’re both passionate about. Having launched in stores August 2015, the brand is now available in several stores in Denmark and Germany, as well as via e-commerce.
There are multiple, interwoven ideas behind Agurk: a sense of humor, an interest in sustainable fashion and a desire to reveal the design process.
The sense of humor starts right with the name. “Agurk” means cucumber; saying “gå agurk!” is similar to the English saying “go bananas!” The off-the-wall patterns and colors, as well as oversize, casual silhouettes indicate a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
As for sustainability, while there’s no real way to run a fashion brand with 100% sustainable practices (after all, you’re producing more goods), Agurk is committed to trying new techniques. They use organic cotton as much as possible and are experimenting with “minimal waste cutting,” a textile-cutting method that aims to waste as little fabric as possible. Camilla tells me, “minimal waste cutting doesn’t work for every pattern, but we’re trying!”
To share these important facets of the brand, Agurk is using their social media, particularly Instagram, to give consumers a peek into their universe. They highlight pattern-making, how to style the clothes and much more.
Agurk’s edgy-cool look manages to stay within the Scandinavian aesthetic while challenging some of its most basic tenants. The thoughtfulness, craftsmanship and intention behind the brand, though? That’s all Scandi.
See more on Agurk Studio and shop the collection.