How Copenhagen Cool Girls Do The Y2K Trend

These days, everyone wants to dress like a Copenhagen cool girl. She’s a master of pairing her baggy jeans with clunky dad sneakers and still looking polished; her going out tops work all hours of the day. She knows how to ride a bike in a fitted sweater dress; she mixes and matches quirky accessories to perfection. In a nutshell? “She’s effortless, easy, sexy-chic — but never over-the-top in anything,” says Gestuz founder and creative director Sanne Sehested, who brilliantly combined Scandivation style tenets with Y2K signatures for her Spring/Summer 2023 collection.

Sehested, of course, knows a thing or two about dressing like a Scandi-babe, and the early aughts. She launched her label — beloved by the Nordic crowd for its edgy leather pieces, slinky dresses and slouchy suiting — in 2008, well before the era of fly-by-night social media born brands and buzzy TikTok trends. Back then, all Sehested wanted was to create the sexy-yet-sophisticated clothes she wanted to wear, but didn’t yet exist. And while she’s the first to say the brand has evolved over the course of its 14-year run, its DNA remains the same. “We kind of say that Gestuz today is rock chick that grew up in a sense,” explains Sehested. “She’s become a little bit more sophisticated, but she still has this rock ’n roll in her. I think a very good example of that is that we never put a dress with pumps.” (Sehested’s go-to alternative? “High heel boots or a chunky cowboy style.”)

This season, Gestuz is getting back to its roots by centering its latest line-up for Spring 2023 around early aughts signatures styled to perfection for today. “We were thinking of Destiny’s Child, TLC, Beyoncé,” explains Sehested of the new collection, which just debuted at Copenhagen Fashion Week this month and is (partially) available to shop now. “We were thinking of something more glamorous, showing more skin.” The resulting range of looks is something of a how-to guide for the season ahead, filled with just the right Hot Aughts items to revisit (or, for all your Gen Z readers: to try for the first time, you lucky kids) and how to wear them in 2022.

Ahead, TZR has gathered four standout looks straight from the catwalk, along with a breakdown on recreating them right now — happy shopping!

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Bomber + Bra Top + Slouchy Pants

Nothing says Spring Break special like a swim top paired with baggy bottoms. But if you want an elevated finish? Simply throw a leather (or pleather) jacket on top. Pull the whole thing together with heels and a playful bag and you’re ready for pretty much anything but the beach.

Tube Top + Mini Skirt + Knee Boots

Yet another way to wear this season’s most of-the-moment shirt: with an equally sassy mini skirt and knee-high boots with a pin-thin heel. (Pro tip from someone who lived for the first go-round on this kind of look: Consider watching The Sweetest Thing for further styling inspiration.)

Statement Top + Cargo Jeans + Stilettos

Something about the complete and utter dissonance of utilitarian cargo pockets and splashy zebra print just works together. Skinny, strappy heels (always go open toe!) are a sure bet for wearing this combination out, but sneakers — or athletic sandals — would serve you just as well during the day.

Bustier + Matching Trousers + Skinny Scarf

Skinny scarves: They’re back! And the best way to wear them is definitely with some sort of subverted suiting. Gestuz, here, has mastered the mix with a neutral corset-fit top and matching 9-to-5 pants.