A Danish Christmas gift guide

Nov 17 Written by

As an expat living in Denmark, I like to explore local options when giving Christmas gifts. Denmark is known for many great brands, and I like the idea of giving my loved ones things that they might not ordinarily get their hands on and introduce them to brands that they aren’t familiar with. So I’ve compiled a little guide with Christmas gifts that can inspire you when thinking about presents for your friends and family.

 

For your girlfriend/ wife/ mom/ sister…

  1. Georg Jensen‘s “Daisy” collection is widely famous by now. I really like the silver versions, and this silver bracelet with white emaille details is a timeless and elegant piece. (DKK 775, here)
  2. Not only does Tromborg produce great environmentally friendly beauty care and makeup products, their bottles can easily be used as decorative items in your bathroom! The lavender facial mist refreshes the skin and smells like a summer vacation in Provence. (DKK 210, here)
  3. Who doesn’t enjoy taking a bath? Make your own little home spa with these three salt scrubs from Badeanstalten. (DKK 189, here)

 

For your boyfriend/ husband/ dad/ brother/ …

  1. It’s no secret, gin is on the rise and more and more small distilleries are popping up everywhere. Geranium is a Danish-produced London Dry Gin that draws its name from one of its main ingredients. It has a fresh, citrusy taste. (DKK 279, here)
  2. One of my favorite Danish clothing brands, Filippa K, makes classic, high-quality clothing items for both men and women. This bordeaux sweater would be a great addition to any guy’s closet. (DKK 999, here)
  3. If your guy loves music and you’re not afraid to spend big, why not spoil him with a pair of Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H3 earphones? Sound and style combined - definitely beats your standard iPhone earplugs! (DKK 1.499, here)

 

For your kids/ nieces and nephews/ smaller siblings…

  1. I am completely in love with this whale pillow from Ferm Living! Isn’t it just the cutest thing? (DKK 299, here)
  2. It’s a well-known fact all around the world: everyone loves Lego. Except stepping on one of the bricks, which is arguably the worst pain ever. This cool special edition Mærsk freight ship set combines two well known Danish brands and might also be suitable for an older target group. (DKK 1.199, here)
  3. Wouldn’t you just love to snuggle up in the adorable bed set from By Nord? I know I would! This set is specifically for kid’s size beds. (DKK 399, here)

 

For the apartment

  1. Everybody knows Royal Copenhagen. And there’s a reason for that - their classic, white and blue porcelain design is classic and timeless, and it’s a great collectible. Why not start someone’s collection with this set of two coffee cups in a nice gift box? (DKK 999, here)
  2. Do you know anyone who loves design and drinks tea? You’ve just found the perfect gift: this stylish tea pot by Design Letters. The typography was designed by Danish icon Arne Jacobsen. Optionally, add cups with initials! (DKK 599, here)
  3. I’ve mentioned Skandinavisk scented candles before, and I’m really a big fan of them! There are some special winter/ Christmas scents, like this one, “Snow”. (DKK 250, here)

 

To bring

Want to spoil your friends and family with some Danish delicacies for the holidays? How about one of these?

  1. Gold-coated special edition Christmas liquorice from Johan Bülow, 250g. (DKK 100, here)
  2. Classic Danish butter cookies in a funny tin from Tiger. (DKK 30, here)
  3. Christmas beer! So Danish. If you don’t want to go with the classic blue Tuborg cans, opt for Nørrebro Bryghus’ Christmas brew. (ca. DKK 30 per bottle, here)

Copenhagen - capital of style

May 15 Written by

Denmark and Copenhagen are famous for design and style. Not only does the world love Danish interior design and architecture (Arne Jacobsen, anyone?), but Copenhagen is also know for its fashion. So why not take a look at it?

When I first got here, I was surprised by two things: a) men seemed to be much more style-conscious than what I was used to back home in Germany, and b) girls and women seemed much less stylish than I had expected. It took me some time to figure out that especially women’s fashion and style follows a very specific rule: Danes put a lot of effort (and money) into looking like they don’t care what they look like. What I mistook for laziness or a “don’t care” attitude is actually a carefully thought out style doctrine that especially girls seem to follow.

Like in many other age- and location-specific groups (e.g. American female college students, hipsters, etc.), Copenhagen girls and young women have their “uniform”, as I like to call it. On the train in the morning or afternoon, it’s crazy how many people wear a similar style. I’ve conveniently provided a “starter kit” below, in case you are coming to visit soon and want to look like a local:

cphstylekit

Popular brands include (just browse through their lookbooks):

 

If you want to learn more about Copenhagen street style, check out the following sites:

 

And finally, the Danes’ biggest style faux-pas in my eyes: Fjällräven backpacks.

 

 

They are EVERYWHERE. In every color. On everyone’s back. Apparently they used to be cool way back in the day, and now they’re making their hipster comeback. I might not be much of a fashion person but please trust me in this: DO NOT BUY A FJÄLLRÄVEN. And if you have one, THROW IT AWAY. Far, far away, where I can’t see it! And then let’s never speak of this again!

As a final word, I do think that Copenhagen’s (or Scandinavia’s) reputation as a fashion capital is well deserved - some of the brands listed above (and others, such as Filippa K) make great clothes that I absolutely love (I have this Tiger of Sweden dress in four colors!). And people here generally seem to put more effort into what they look like (compared to what I’m used to from Germany), even though I might not always “get” the style they’re going for.

Danish brands: Pernille Corydon Jewellery

Apr 22 Written by

I’ve been wanting to start writing about Danish brands I come across, especially those that might not be as popular or known outside of Denmark. I just think that the Danes have a special style and eye for design - it’s a question of taste, of course, but I really like the clarity and simplicity, the clean lines and almost monochromatic colors. And I’ve recently come across the jewelry from Pernille Corydon, and I find them very timeless and stylish, while at the same time elegant and feminine. So that’s why I’m introducing them here today!

Her jewellery is described on her homepage as follows, which I find very fitting: “Scandinavian simplicity inspired by geometric shapes characterizes the work of Pernille Corydon. The Danish designer creates distinct, modern jewellery stripped of excess. What
remains is a pure and feminine expression that matches women of
all ages from all parts of the world.“

I’ve recently bought the “Multi Coin Ring” in gold, and it’s beautiful. I stood in the store and could quite literally have bought ALL of her earrings and rings! So pretty!

Multi coin ring

Multi coin ring

 

It comes with matching earrings as well (might have to get those, too!). But I really like all her stuff, and you should definitely check it out!

Pernille Corydon rings

Pernille Corydon rings

Pernille Corydon necklaces

Pernille Corydon necklaces

Pernille Corydon earrings

Pernille Corydon earrings

 

Pernille Corydon Jewellery

http://uk.pernillecorydon.com/

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A list of retailers by country can be found here  (PS: Superlove in Copenhagen has them!)