Royal Danish Academy 2023 Presents PANOPTICON Graduation Show. Cultural diversity is the focal point for newly graduated fashion designers from the Royal Academy as they hold a show during Copenhagen Fashion Week.
Graduation show 2023 “PANOPTICON” from the graduate program Fashion, Clothing & Textiles; New Landscapes for Change at the Royal Academy shows how fashion can become resource-conscious and culturally diverse.
When the eleven newly graduated fashion designers from the Royal Danish Academy present their 2023 collections during Copenhagen Fashion Week, it is with the ambition to create completely new narratives in the fashion industry.
In an era where fast fashion and the reckless exploitation of resources have taken a toll on our planet and climate, the designers are advocating for a transformative paradigm shift. They emphasize the importance of embracing a fresh approach, prioritizing quality and timelessness over mass production. The clothing showcased in their collections are not merely an item of consumption but rather an expression of identity, meant to be cherished and preserved.
The aptly named show, “PANOPTICON” derives its inspiration from the Greek words “pan” meaning inclusive of all, and the “opticon”, signifying a place where everything is observed. By choosing this title, the designers aim to shed light on the digital age’s implications, particularly the notions of surveillance and control that permeate even the most personal aspects of our lives.
Spokespersons Sako Dersahakian and Alberte Fischer say: As designers, we are deeply affected by the way public control has become systemic and integrated into everything we do. With ‘PANOPTICON’ we want to show our opposition to current norms and rules and to celebrate the beauty of diversity and uniqueness, regardless of our bodies, cultural background or per sonal motivation.
The designers have graduated from a new graduate program 2023 at the Royal Danish Academy: Fashion, Clothing & Textiles – New Landscapes for Change. The program aims to develop a sustainable approach to fashion that stems from user studies of ordinary people’s needs and dreams when it comes to clothing. In the program, the students examine and discuss fashion narratives based on deep respect for quality materials, craftsmanship and nature’s re sources.
During their education, all students work with external partners from business and society, where they each test and develop their own unique path to become tomorrow’s fashion designers who can create, collaborate and change the fashion industry for the better.
All images and Texts by Royal Danish Academy / Copenhagen Fashion Week