Aknvas Keeps It Youthful for Pre-Fall 2025
“The collection is called ‘The Doors,'” founder and designer Christian Juul Nielsen said of his pre-fall lineup during a walk-through in his New York studio. “It’s sort of a play on youth culture and where the world is. And when I say youth culture, I’m more like, who identifies as young.”
Rather than try and be a brand for all, Juul Nielsen understands his niche. His aesthetic of Danish artisanal craft mixed with couture — he has had stints working with both Raf Simons and John Galliano — has been steadily growing at retail because he delivers on his DNA rather than do too many things. Recently he has taken to doing trunk shows, meeting his clients to help explain the couture nature of his ruffles and flowers, details that are core to his brand. “I style them [clients] and they’ll get like 10 looks sometimes,” he said.
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That knowledge leads him to where he wants to expand, like the handbags he showed last season, a category he aims to scale. Pre-fall takes “The Doors” concept and offers a different “door” for each idea for the season — high summer, for example, offers shirt dressing in menswear pinstripes with ruffles and sporty strings. A long lace moody black sheer dress is a sensual idea for an event without being overt. His take on suiting included a lavender satin double-breasted vest with an ornate flower and matching double-breasted skirt, which he is sure will be a bestseller. “Young and sexy and fresh, that still works for us,” he said.
The proof is on the retail floor — he recently added Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills and he said Saks has been “a big success.” In a landscape where many young American brands are falling off, Aknvas has set its path with room to grow.
Launch Gallery: Aknvas Pre-Fall 2025 Collection
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