Cecilie Bahnsen turns to intimate memories and shared rituals to shape a collection defined by softness, anticipation, and emotional presence.
Rooted in ideas of ritual, gesture and quiet anticipation, Cecilie Bahnsen’s latest campaign approaches dressing as an intimate, formative act rather than a finished statement. Inspired by childhood memories of dressing up without a clear destination, the visuals explore those in-between moments where clothing becomes play, connection and shared experience. Photographed by Nadine Ijewere and styled by Nathan Klein, the Pre-Fall 2026 campaign unfolds in a cinematic register that privileges softness, imperfection and emotional presence over completion.
The narrative draws from what Bahnsen describes as childhood rituals: putting on special clothes for no particular reason, the calm choreography of getting ready, the brief pause before stepping outside. These moments, often overlooked, become central to the collection’s emotional framework. Dressing is framed not as a functional necessity but as a space of imagination and care, shaped through repetition and shared experience.
This sensibility is echoed in the way the garments are portrayed. The camera lingers on gestures rather than silhouettes. Hands adjust fabric, ties are fastened, dresses settle slowly on the body. Nothing feels resolved or static. Instead of documenting finished looks, the images capture states of transition, reinforcing Bahnsen’s interest in what she calls “the imperfection before completion”. Clothes appear already lived in, activated through use rather than preserved.
The bow, one of the brand’s most recognisable signatures, runs through the collection as a unifying gesture. Appearing as embroidery on dresses, integrated fastenings and hair adornments, it embodies a duality that defines Bahnsen’s language: softness paired with structure, decoration aligned with function. In Pre-Fall 2026, the bow becomes less a motif than a quiet guide, shaping how garments move, close and relate to the body.
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