You’d think that back-to-back shows from morning to night would leave little chance to do touristy things in a new city, but yesterday afternoon had me crisscrossing the Sortedams Sø to experience a number of landmarks (in the name of fashion, of course). Charlotte Eskildsen’s Designers Remix Collection—so popular here that she has a boutique in the Copenhagen Airport—was held at the old elephant house in the city zoo. Attendees took in the sights (and smells) behind metal barriers while models Lisa Cant and Emma Karlsson took their first spins in Copenhagen down the well-worn cement catwalk.

On the other side of town, Bruuns Bazaar (Denmark’s answer to Banana Republic) staged their show at the National Art Museum. It made for a beautiful setting but a logistical nightmare, as guests were trapped in a 45 minute queue to get to their seats. The clean silhouettes, hailed by the Dansk Daily as a return to Scandinavian minimalism, may have been better represented in a more modern venue.

A fitting end to the evening was Day Birger et Mikkelsen’s massive tenth anniversary show in an outdoor arena erected in the heart of downtown. 1,500 of their closest fans paid respects to Keld Mikkelsen, who bowed to his screaming fans like a rock god. A massive thunderstorm did little to quell the post-show fever as guests poured onto the runway for an impromptu party. It’s a good thing that the Champagne is always in full supply here.

There is much to like about Copenhagen, but one of its best features is how the shopping is all concentrated in the same pedestrian area. While walking around this morning I was drawn into jeweler Zarah Voight’s boutique by an enticing window display that paired her candy-colored pieces with popsicles and cupcakes. Voight mostly works in laser-cuthard plastic that she juxtaposes with delicate gold chains. The designs are playful—I spotted a bracelet with a string of hot-pink Barbie stilettos, and earrings shaped like house keys. I may go back to buy the pendant necklace with a silhouetted black cocker spaniel. (I have a real one waiting for me at home).

A new addition to the retail scene here is the Swedish boutique Whyred, which opened this summer (it’s the label’s fourth location; the other three are in Stockholm). The brand was launched in 1999 as a denim label by three colleagues from H&M. Their collection has evolved into an enticing blend of basics with an edge. My favorite piece was a color-blocked body-con dress. The shoes are also strong; I had to tear myself away from a chunky leather heel with attached spat. Soon to be a big hit globally, you can check it out in New York City at Castor & Pollux.

Photo: Romney Leader

MoonSpoonSaloon, a new addition to the calendar, was much-hyped in the lead-up to its show. A collaboration between artist Tal R and former costume designer Sarah Sachs, it aims to create 99 looks for its inaugural season, with each look available in a limited-edition batch of 99. Its debut at the Royal Danish Theater was very much art for art’s sake. Ballerinas performed interpretive dance in the clothes, which were court jesterlike in their use of primary colors and voluminous fits. On the other end of the spectrum was denim line Won Hundred, where everything behind the season’s collection was recorded in meticulous detail. Liner notes listed 50 ideas designer Nikolaj Nielsen liked and 50 ideas he disliked when conceiving the current line. A second page offered a rundown of the David Lynch-esque video that ran during the show, even listing key symbols for guests to look out for. The actual clothes, in contrast, were refreshingly bare-bones, and standout pieces for women included a boxy twill jacket and baggy drawstring jeans.

Malene Birger’s show is a do-not-miss on the fashion week calendar. The Danish designer is an icon in Copenhagen, and the dramatic By Malene Birger collection was enjoyable for both longtime fans and the newly converted. A tough-but-sweet vibe ran strong; black leather knee-high spats were paired with bright floral separates and billowy chiffon skirts. While some looks—though beautiful—borrowed a little too heavily from Marni, Birger really hit her stride with more classically Danish pieces like her sheer smock dresses and tunics. All of the pants, ranging from classic uptown trousers to a sophisticated take on the drop-crotch peg-leg style, were impeccably tailored, and the jewelry and handbags (Birger is of the "bigger is better" school of thought) were covetable.

The big star on hand at Malene Birger was Lene Nostrom, who you may remember from her pop band Aqua’s hit single "Barbie Girl." I told her she looked great. "Thanks! The sweater is Alexander McQueen, the leggings are Kova & T, the bag is Chanel, and the shoes are Nicholas Kirkwood," she said. Fans take note: Aqua is gearing up for a reunion tour this fall.

I took some time on Saturday to walk through Gallery, one of two big trade fairs going on simultaneously with the shows. One of the standout displays was Monies, a revered Danish jewelry line from husband/wife team Gerda and Nicolai Monies. Buffalo horns, amber, and rare gems are some of the natural materials found in their dramatic pieces (rings as big as your hand, necklaces that drape to the knee). They’ve collaborated with Donna Karan and Christian Lacroix, among others, and have freestanding shops in Paris and Geneva. It’s hard to believe they were showing me the more conservative pieces ("We save the really special pieces for Paris," whispered the saleswoman), but I swooned over this tangle of shiny ivory beads.

Across the way I saw Peter Jensen manning his own booth, so I went over to say hi. Though it was his men’s Spring ‘09 collection on display, he was kind enough to give me a sneak preview of the women’s line, debuting in September at London fashion week. The inspiration? Jodie Foster. "We looked mostly at ‘Hotel New Hampshire’," he said, "Jodie had a strong, masculine look there that I loved, but we also took elements from ‘Freaky Friday’ and ‘Silence of the Lambs’." I snapped this sweatshirt (note the "Jodie" and "JF" screenprints) because it encapsulates Jensen’s hilarious regard for American culture.

Copenhagen fashion week ended on a spirited note with Henrik Vibskov’s show. No one seemed to mind the almost two-hour delay, perhaps because it wasn’t the designer’s fault, but instead because he opened the show to the public, asking only that ticketless attendees play a trumpet song to gain admittance (if you didn’t have a trumpet you could pay 70 kroners). Once the melee at the door had settled and the lights dimmed, the show highlight was Vibskov—himself an avid percussionist—front and center with his drums, playing live to the show soundtrack. Though he’s mostly known as a clothing designer in the U.S., throughout Europe Vibskov is regarded as a multi-disciplinary performance artist. The strongest looks in the show featured his signature print work, shown on a baggy women’s pant and a colorful men’s wool sweater. The after-party began on location immediately following the show, but yours truly headed back to the hotel to begrudgingly prepare for the trip back to New York.

Photos: MoonSpoon, Vibskov: Courtesy of Copenhagen fashion week; Nostrom, Monies, Jensen: Romney Leader

The Savannah College of Art and Design’s student fashion show on Saturday evening had everything a typical Bryant Park production doesn’t: size 6 models, endearingly earnest designers, and an audience—proud parents bearing camcorders and fellow students shouting “you go, girl”—that was neither critical nor sycophantic. What the show did lack, however, was its guest of honor, John Galliano, who was stuck in New York with a 104 degree fever. Taking the stage in a red satin robe and fuchsia turban, Vogue’s André Leon Talley sang the praises of the absentee designer, this year’s recipient of the school’s André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award. “He has always lived in a secret garden which he cultivates…I’ve seen him high, low, rich, poor. The first time I met him, he was wearing Little Lord Fauntleroy shorts and Mary Janes.” Two designers who did manage to make the trip down were Ruffian’s Brian Wolk and Claude Morais, who had mentored a select group of SCAD students throughout the year in the school’s inaugural “style lab” program. “We had to be disciplinarians,” Morais said. “Like when the kids were dragging their feet we’d be like, ‘OK, the show is in a month. Stop your bullshit and just sew your clothes.’ But it was worth it in the end. And we love Savannah. We’re thinking about buying a house here. It’d be a great place to raise children.” “IF we decide to have any,” Wolk quickly countered.—Evelyn Crowley

Photo: Courtesy of the Savannah College of Art and Design

“I was just out of school and I really had no idea where I could show my work,” explains Sophie Morner of her inspiration for Capricious magazine, which just released its eighth issue. “It turned out that a lot of my friends had no idea where to show their work, either.” A similar inspiration drove Morner to create Capricious Space in Williamsburg. The new gallery opened on Friday with a show of photos from the new Capricious magazine; later this month, the space will play host to an exhibit featuring work by artists such as Mirabelle Marden. Future shows in the works will be guest-curated by the likes of photographer Collier Schorr and Hedi Slimane. For all the starriness, Morner is characteristically low-key about her new project. “I don’t even want to call it a gallery, you know? I’d like it to be a place where lots of stuff can happen, like we can have a thrift shop for plants, for example.” A thrift shop for plants? “Well, people move, and they have these plants that get left behind. I’ll be happy if Capricious can be the place for those kinds of random things.”—Maya Singer

Photo: Courtesy of Sophie Morner, Capricious magazine

Cosmetics ads promise to turn faces into works of art. In a related move, the seven artists, designers, and fashion photographers in the “Lip-gloss and Lacquer” show at London’s Spring Projects gallery pay homage to the seductive allure of beauty products with works that emulate the flawless finish and high sheen of a lip lacquered with lip gloss (in the case of Lawrence Weiner’s sculpture made from lipstick, this is literally true). Though the works all radiate a shiny aesthetic, not all the participants in the show are wholeheartedly supportive of high-fashion spin and the high hopes it generates. In other words, the magic is leavened with reality.—Ana Finel Honigman

Photo: Courtesy of Spring Projects

We’re not sure if this is a standard intern duty, but Sean Avery is heading to the couture shows next week as part of the Vogue team. “It looks like I’m going to all of them,” he told us. “Which is exciting. It doesn’t get bigger or better than the Paris couture, right?” Any show he’s particularly looking forward to? “The Chanel show. From what I’m told, that’s the show that gets the most ridiculous.” Don’t let Karl hear you say that, Sean.—Derek Blasberg

Photo: Sherly Rabbani and Josephine Solimene

At SPFW, swimwear took center stage this weekend, as mega-brand Rosa Cha returned to the calendar to present their men’s collection. The audience was jam-packed into the main venue, and pre-show entertainment included a cavalcade of local celebrities (don’t ask us for names; we don’t watch Brazilian TV) who sent the paparazzi into overdrive. But the real money shot (so to speak), came at the show’s start, when a ripped male model strode down the runway, which was equipped with a rain shower. As the crowd cheered, he pulled down his skimpy trunks and rinsed off, a runway stunt you?d never see in New York. That set the tone for the rest of the show, as shirtless studs walked the circuit, balanced out by Brazilian supermodels Caroline Ribeiro, Michelle Alves, Isabeli Fontana, and Raica Oliveira, who formed a final tableau à la Victoria’s Angels.—Sameer Reddy

Photo: Courtesy of Rosa Cha

It wasn’t that long ago that fashion’s most familiar faces would not only never deign to wear the same item of clothing more than once, but they would even change during the day to avoid too many similar front-row looks. (Some, like L’Uomo Vogue’s Anna Della Russo, would change between shows—during the menswear season, even.) But Emmanuelle Alt, the Paris Vogue stylist whom many look to for sartorial inspiration, bucked that trend Wednesday morning when she showed up at Roland Mouret’s collection in the exact same zebra-print Balmain cropped trousers that she debuted at Monday’s Christian Dior Haute Couture show. Taking the idea of repeat wearing a step further, she paired them with the identical Azzedine Alaïa lace-up stilettos that her boss, Carine Roitfeld (that’s the two of them at Ralph Lauren’s Fall 08 show, above), was wearing that day as well—the same ones the duo both wore on Monday. Remember that, ladies, before you haul anything to the consignment stores—it’s officially OK to repeat your favorite look.—Derek Blasberg

Photo: Greg Kessler

Twin events on the eve of Berlin fashion week riffed on fashion and art’s increasingly fruitful relationship. The stately Unter den Linden Strasse featured a chic vernissage garden party for Friday 13th’s “Into the Woods” group show. “Art serves as an intellectual base camp and archive of forms and ideas for fashion,” exclaims the exhibition text by former Qvest magazine editor Joachim Bessing. Over at ProjektGalerie, meanwhile, a scrappy and sassy showing of Japanese photographer Fumi Nagasaka’s film and stills of a male model in sordid cinematic scenes drew the fashion crowd’s more downtown faction. And who should we spot there but Iekeliene Stange, in Berlin to walk in Hugo Boss’ show today. Of where she chose to spend her single night in the city, she said, “Where else should one be in Berlin, rather than at an art opening?”—Ana Finel Honigman

Photo: Ana Finel Honigman

Hugo Boss is prized as the slickest and sleekest show during Berlin fashion week–the reason Germany’s most high-profile brand was the first on this season’s schedule. The girls and boys in monochromatic suits glided past Kim Cattrall, Veruschka, Mischa Barton, and Germany’s top-tier local lights, looking supremely poised and polished. So when Tanya Dziahileva sheepishly slipped off her heels toward the end, it might have been the most onlooker-stumping moment of the week. “But she was so professional,” remarked Barton afterward. “The heels were obviously hurting all the girls, but she dealt with it really well.” Barton was clearly impressed by Tanya, who elegantly walked on barefoot tiptoes, holding her heels and not cracking a smile until the last leg of the catwalk length. The American starlet was less taken with the after-show spread. “The line is way too long for coleslaw,” she pouted. “Not professional.”—Ana Finel Honigman