Rolf Ekroth Spring Summer 2025 at Copenhagen Fashion Week

Rolf Ekroth Spring Summer 2025 / SS25 at Copenhagen Fashion Week entitled LAVATANSSIT

Imagine the stillness of a Finnish summer night, only broken by the distant notes of a bittersweet waltz. Rolf Ekroth’s Spring Summer 2025 collection, “Lavatanssit,” captures the enigmatic charm of traditional Finnish dance pavilions scattered across the Finnish countryside.

ROLF EKROTH is an independent Finnish fashion label that champions utilitarianism, nostalgia and the power of sustainably produced clothes. Built upon observations of youth and life in Finland, it harnesses the subtle nuances of its Finnish roots but applies freedom to reimagining history and old crafting traditions. Comfortably perched between superficiality and profundity, it is an homage to the transformation that well-designed clothes elicit: a newfound will to walk through the world without hiding.

In these pavilions, everyone is in search of a dream, from wallflowers to nighttime legends. While Finnish people may appear stoic, beneath their reserve burns a blend of romance and melancholy. This collection, inspired by the designer’s personal experiences, is a playful nod to longing—a love letter to summer nights spent at the dance pavilion. It dances with contrasts, reflecting the hope and fear of potential encounters. Threaded with the dark humour characteristic of the Finnish spirit—such as hukkumisbingo, “drowning bingo”, a game where bets are placed on how many drunken people end up lost in the lake each summer— Rolf Ekroth Spring Summer 2025 / SS25 collection embodies a pursuit for connection.

Rolf Ekroth SS25 collection’s standout piece is a life vest top with romantic floral prints—a statement against Finland’s drowning statistics with life-saving functionality. Ekroth reimagines traditional dance attire with a contemporary edge, merging safety with dreamy, hand-painted floral prints and innovative silhouettes. Tailored suits offer a modern take on relaxed elegance with sleek lines and subtle details. Flowing dresses in airy fabrics, adorned with hand-painted floral prints, capture the romance of a lakeside dance.

Rolf Ekroth Spring Summer 2025 collection also features handmade lace collars and caps, a hand-knitted macramé bag, and dandelion jeans decorated with 250 handcrafted pendants—each pair’s pendants requiring over 200 hours to create. Similarly, the bombers are detailed with hand-knitted pendants, providing a distinctive touch of craftsmanship.

Rolf Ekroth Spring Summer 2025 / SS25 In collaboration with Kalevala, the renowned Finnish jewelry brand, Ekroth has translated his hand-painted rose motif into versatile earrings. Handcrafted from 100% recycled silver, these pieces continue the tradition of repurposing jewelry. The earrings feature a flexible clip, perfect for styling with various outfits, from tops to skirts to scarves. A showstopper in the collection is a dress embellished with 180 earrings. The rose motif, a staple in Ekroth’s collections, encourages seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses. An 8-bit version of the rose motif, both hand-painted and pixelated, is also featured on a silk scarf.

Ekroth and Novita have come together once again to celebrate Finnish craftsmanship. With this collection, Ekroth wanted to explore novel textures and knitted forms. The handmade lace knits are a tribute to Finnish heritage, with patterns that reflect a deep respect for tradition. Novita and Ekroth offer not just comprehensive yarn and instruction sets, but an invitation—to those who seek it—to replicate the knits from the runway and partake in the Lavatanssit.

From icy country road rallies to F1 asphalt, Finland is known for being one of the fastest racing nations in the world. Ekroth has partnered with Puma and their Speedcat shoes for this season, honoring this reputation. Drawing inspiration from the designer’s childhood memories of watching races, the collection features subtle hints and details related to rallying and motorcycling.

Rolf Ekroth’s show is completed by Happy Socks, the Swedish sock pioneer, with their FW24 collection being featured live for the first time on the runway. A curation of styles, including the iconic “Big Sock Energy” and “Butter” socks, as well as caps, t-shirts, and pins with “Big Sock Energy” in English and Finnish were exclusively created to capture the spirit of Lavatanssit. This collaboration was born out of a shared passion for creativity, innovation and redefining traditional fashion norms. It highlights how thoughtful design can elevate even the most utilitarian pieces, creating cohesive fashion statements that resonate with modern consumers.

In “Lavatanssit,” Rolf Ekroth unveils his most Finnish collection to date. Each detail—whether the hand-painted prints, the meticulously selected materials, or the carefully designed clothing—reveals an intimate connection to Finnish culture. Ekroth takes traditional concepts and infuses them with modern sensibility, creating designs that are as fun as they are authentic. This Rolf Ekroth Spring Summer 2025 collection transforms Finnish identity through a contemporary lens, blending heritage with a fresh, modern take on a search for Finnish summer night’s dream.