Scandinavian Occasion Wear: How Stockholm and Copenhagen Dress Up

Scandinavian occasion wear is cleaner than most, with strong cuts, solid colour and one detail per dress, and the labels that define it are By Malina in Stockholm and ROTATE Birger Christensen, Stine Goya and Ganni in Copenhagen. Stockholm tends to dress up through cut and satin, while Copenhagen dresses up through shine, print and play.

The usual picture of Scandinavian style is minimal and muted: grey knit, white trainer, black coat. That picture leaves out the occasions. When Stockholm and Copenhagen go to a wedding, a dinner and a party, they dress up with confidence. This guide sets out how the two cities approach it, with the labels to know and the pieces to start with.

What Scandinavian occasion wear looks like

Across the labels in this guide, a few principles come up again and again. These are our observations from the collections, not rules.

• One detail, not five. A cape sleeve, a draped back and a detachable scarf, chosen one at a time. The rest of the dress stays clean.
• Wearable length. Midi and maxi are the default, with minis reserved for parties.
• Repeat value. Pieces are designed to be worn again, often with a blazer and a knit for a second life.
• Comfort at the event. Elastic waists and relaxed blouson shapes appear often, even in eveningwear.

Stockholm: By Malina

By Malina was founded in Stockholm in 2010 by Malin Ek Andrén, who studied at Parsons School of Design in New York and worked in garment production in Hong Kong with Scandinavian brands before returning home. She began by making her own pieces for weddings and parties. The label now trades as Malina, and in 2024 it opened a joint flagship with the Swedish cashmere label Soft Goat in Bibliotekstan, Stockholm.

By Malina’s approach is the clearest example of Stockholm dressing up through cut. Three pieces show it.

• Linhe Maxi Dress in Moss Green, from $1,020: a satin maxi with a draped blouson silhouette, a defined waist and cape sleeves, with a keyhole button closure at the back. Relaxed enough for a long day, formal enough for an evening wedding.
• Vilja Blouse in Ruby, from $740: a relaxed satin blouse with a high neck and tie detail. Worn with satin trousers, it is a full occasion look without a dress.
• Ella Blazer in Black, from $800: a tailored peplum blazer with double buttons, which turns any satin dress into something you can wear to the office the next morning.

For the full story, read Who is By Malina?

Copenhagen: three labels

ROTATE Birger Christensen

ROTATE Birger Christensen was founded in Copenhagen in 2018 by Jeanette Madsen and Thora Valdimars. It is built on the party dress, with fabric chosen to catch light: beading, sequins and appliqué. If Stockholm dresses up through cut, ROTATE is Copenhagen dressing up through shine.

Stine Goya

Stine Goya is a Copenhagen label known since 2006 for hand-drawn prints, jacquard artworks and confident colour. It is proof that Scandinavian occasion wear does not have to be quiet.

Ganni

Ganni is a Copenhagen label led creatively by Ditte Reffstrup since 2009, known for leopard and floral prints, smock dresses and relaxed denim. It is everyday first, but its printed dresses are a common choice for daytime events.

Stockholm and Copenhagen compared

How to dress the Scandinavian way for an occasion

Choose one strong detail

Pick a dress with a single idea and let it lead. The Louise Maxi Dress in Teal, from $1,160, has a plain round neck at the front and a draped open back. That is the whole idea, and it is enough. Keep jewellery small and the shoe simple.

Use a blazer as the second layer

A blazer over an occasion dress is the simplest way to handle a cool Nordic evening. A fitted blazer suits a fitted dress; an oversized blazer suits a slim slip. See By Malina jackets and blazers for the options.

Mix in knit

A fine knit over satin is one of the most useful tricks in Scandinavian dressing. The Lilian Cardigan in Dark Brown, from $690, is a relaxed brushed wool and cashmere cardigan with a V-neck that works over a satin maxi for a late night.

Pick a colour, not a print

For Stockholm style, choose a deep solid: moss green, teal, dark brown and ruby. For Copenhagen style, go the other way and let a print carry the outfit. Either approach works, but mixing both in one look rarely does.

Think about the next wear

Buy the dress you will wear again. A solid satin midi works for a wedding, a dinner and, with a blazer, a working day. The Zindy Fitted Pouf Sleeve Midi Dress in Black, from $840, is a good example: a fitted heavy satin midi with a pouf sleeve that changes mood with the jacket you put over it.

Fabric and care

Occasion fabrics need more attention than everyday ones. Read the composition before you buy. By Malina lists every fibre on the product page: many of its satin dresses use an acetate and polyester blend with a viscose lining, and its knitwear uses wool and cashmere blends and alpaca blends. Care runs from hand wash to dry clean only. Most By Malina pieces are made in China, in Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, with a smaller group made in Turkey and Italy, and the country is stated on each page. Check the same details on the Copenhagen labels, because sequinned and embellished pieces often need specialist cleaning.

Where to start

If you are new to Scandinavian occasion wear, start with one Stockholm piece and one Copenhagen piece and see which you reach for. A By Malina satin dress and a Stine Goya print will tell you quickly whether you prefer cut and drape to print and colour.

Editor’s note: I keep coming back to the Stockholm approach for weddings, because a solid satin photographs well in every light, and a print can date a picture.

For more, read brands like By Malina, brands like ROTATE and brands like Ganni. For wedding dressing, see By Malina wedding guest dresses.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best Scandinavian occasion wear brands?

On Coveti, the key labels are By Malina from Stockholm and ROTATE Birger Christensen, Stine Goya and Ganni from Copenhagen.

What is the difference between Stockholm and Copenhagen occasion style?

In our reading of the collections, Stockholm dresses up through cut, satin and solid colour, while Copenhagen dresses up through shine, print and a more playful mood.

Is By Malina a Swedish brand?

Yes. By Malina was founded in Stockholm in 2010 by Malin Ek Andrén and now trades as Malina.

Which Scandinavian brand is best for wedding guest dresses?

By Malina is the most wedding focused of the four, with satin midis and maxis for every dress code and a full bridal collection. ROTATE is the strongest for a black tie party look.