MAJA DIXDOTTER introduces By Malene Birger's pre-spring 2025 collection

Sleek animal print, hand-crafted details and unexpected colour combinations – this is By Malene Birger’s pre-spring 2025 collection. “With unpredictable seasons and fluctuating temperatures, I wanted this collection to feel simple, uncomplicated and light. I focussed on adaptable styles that can be layered up or down, as well as feminine touches and easy shapes, hand-made elements, bohemian details and rich colours. And I have a taste for animal print again, given a sophisticated spin for a modern, composed woman,” says creative director Maja Dixdotter.

Portail is always more than happy to dig even deeper – so, we asked Maja few questions about the collection.

Last season you were inspired by a perfume you discovered in New York. Where did you begin for pre-spring 2025?

I wanted pre-spring 2025 to feel very simple and uncomplicated, with a focus on lightness. I spent a lot of time in Paris earlier in the year speaking to buyers and discussing how unpredictable weather is making seasonality such a difficult thing to nail these days. Even in Scandinavia, which is typically very cold in winter, we will have mild days in February and snow storms in April. With temperatures fluctuating all over the world, our customer needs their wardrobe to be adaptable and versatile, with lighter pieces that can be layered up or down. I also focused on feminine touches and easy shapes, hand-made elements, fun prints, unexpected details and rich colours.

Tell us about the colour palette and signature textures?

I tried to think about colour along the same lines as fabric weight – they needed to feel versatile. Festive for the winter period, but also fresh enough for warmer weather. I got very excited about the new colour combination of buttery yellow and caramel with a pop of tomato red. There’s a great silk monogrammed scarf that sums up the feeling. And I felt like experimenting with animal print – leopard, zebra, crocodile-embossed leather – in a way that would feel super sophisticated and subtle.

What kind of materials were on your fabric swatch board?

I wanted to capture unexpected combinations when it came to texture: slippery satin and crafted Thai silk, paired with textured wools, fluffy viscose, faux fur and leather. I also wanted that feeling of pieces that had been lovingly crafted by hand. Some of my personal highlights include a beautiful Thai silk dress with handmade flower appliqués, a loose-knit poncho with handwoven pompoms, and a leather jacket with whip-stitched trims.

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On that note, what are some of the collection’s key pieces?

Key pieces are easy to wear and quite straightforward. The leopard-print maxi coat is a hero – something about leopard just feels right again. The mohair cardigan-coat is very cosy and cut like a morning robe, so you can layer up for the coldest days. The bouclé-wool poncho I mentioned is similarly versatile, a cute layer you can slip on and off. For evening, the off- the-shoulder zebra jacquard dress is really cool – it’s in a woven viscose knit that supports the body. I love the tomato-red maxi kimono dress, it’s very slinky and wafts as you walk. And in accessories, the velvet ballerina with a monogrammed toe is a fun new style.

What about the one piece you personally can’t wait to wear?

I can’t stop wearing the sample of the double-faced wool blazer. It has a nice detail of several loops to fasten it at the waist. You can either thread the tie through one loop for a clean wrap silhouette, or pull it through multiple loops to create a ruched effect. Clean or decorative, depending on your mood. And I’m so happy we’ve re-released the fluffy Tiana sandals in a new black colourway, as I wear the beige ones all the time.

Re-working past-season styles and building timeless wardrobe foundations is a key part of By Malene Birger’s sustainable strategy – can you unpack that a little further?

We have targets we want to hit when it comes to more sustainable fibres and we’re always looking at fabric innovations. But a sustainable mindset is also important at a design level, with pieces that you can wear in lots of different ways for many years to come. For pre-spring 2025, we tried to include re-runs of existing shapes and silhouettes and rework them with more creative fabric choices. This is partly so that customers can always find the pieces they love and that fit them every season, but also because it cuts down on the sampling process which can be wasteful. I also like to add details that allow pieces to feel more versatile, such as the double-faced wool blazer that can be tied in different ways. More than anything I want the collections to be concise, with a small edit of newness that complements rather than overwhelms our existing By Malene Birger wardrobe.

Discover the collection in the gallery above. In Tallinn you can find By Malene Birger’s collections at Kaubamaja department store.

Kuigi moelavade sügis/talv 2026 kollektsioonid tegid üsna veenva katse meid taas värvidesse riietada – roosast koobaltsinise ja happevõitu roheliseni –, on hooajavahetuses midagi, mis paneb vaatama hoopis garderoobi kõige lihtsama osa poole. Must, valge ja nende kahe kombinatsioon ei vaja erilist trendiprognoosi ning just seepärast mõjuvad need praegu kuidagi eriti õigesti.

Kopenhaageni moenädalal, mis tänavastiili mõttes rabab pigem värvide, mustrite ja leidlike kihtidega, paistis seekord silma üllatavalt palju monokroomseid komplekte. Seda ka moemärgi Almada moeetenduse eel, kus kaamera ette jäid mustvalged kooslused, mille tugevus peitus eelkõige proportsioonides ja materjalides.

Näiteks võib pikkade varrukatega valge T-särgi panna kokku musta satiinse seeliku ja sametiste kingadega. Mustad bermuudapüksid saavad hoopis teise ilme valgete kontsakingade kõrval, valge teksapüks toimib alusena romantilisemale volangseelikule ning kraeta must nahktagi muudab pika valge seeliku parajalt rangeks. Ka sall, pitsiline kiht või narmastega vöö võib kõige lihtsama mustvalge komplekti tasakaalu meeldivalt paigast nihutada.

Ja praegu on nende kombinatsioonide kandmiseks ehk aasta parim hetk. Veel ei pea end mantlitesse pakkima, kuid suvine „üks kleit ja valmis” loogika on juba pisut liiga optimistlik. Pealegi, mustvalge garderoob lubab suure tõenäosusega kasutada seda, mis kapis juba olemas on.

Galeriist leiad 15 mustvalget näidet Kopenhaagenist, mis tuletavadki meelde, et uue hooaja algus ei pea tingimata tähendama uusi riideid. Vahel piisab sellest, kui vanad tuttavad veidi teistmoodi kokku panna!