On a cold and rainy Copenhagen night last month, one of the city’s most talented designer duos, Saks Potts, was hosting an intimate cocktail to celebrate the new pre-fall 2020 collection. Though Saks Potts launched just a few years ago, by Catherine Saks and Barbara Potts, the brand has become well-known for vintage-style trench coats and puffer jackets in unexpected colors, shimmery pants, and logo tops and bottoms. As it stands, it is the only Copenhagen based brand that has received so much attention from celebs; in the past few months alone, Kylie Jenner has worn their pieces multiple times along with Georgia May Jagger, Kendall Jenner, Cardi B, Lady Gaga, Rosalia, Emily Ratakowski, and more.
A Saks Potts coat is almost immediately identifiable. Whether it’s a fur-trimmed glossy trench or an exaggerated puffer, there is always a sense of playfulness when it comes to color and silhouette. For example, the classic belted trench comes in unexpected hues like green or patent orange. Elsewhere, the down puffers are always oversized, and come with playful oceanic prints or cotton candy shades of rainbow ombre. Saks Potts constantly takes inspiration from the Copenhagen aesthetic for these pieces.
“I think the style in Copenhagen used to be very casual, but still very colorful, but it's more indulgent now,” explains Potts. “This Copenhagen girl has always been this girl with sneakers, this little dress, and a little jacket. But I think actually people like to dress up now. People want to spend their money more and they like to get dressed up for everything.”
Despite that, the new pre-fall collection combines the classic elements of fun Saks Potts aesthetic alongside a new injection of simplicity. “This is a little bit more minimalistic than our previous collections,” explains Saks, of the pre-fall 2020 collection. Gesturing towards some of the sleek lightweight coats in shades of pale pink and camel, she explains: “We are quite inspired by this nineties working woman from New York. Really ambitious. We love to go into these totally different universes.” Pencil skirts and little logo dresses embossed with the signature Saks Potts logo could be seen alongside the fur-trimmed jackets and trench coats that have been seen on so many celebrities over the course of the brand’s rise to fame. “It's quite girly, but it's still a little bit more elegant, maybe in a more grown up and professional way,” adds Potts.
The cocktail, which took place in Potts’ apartment, was a teaser for the bigger bi-annual presentation the brand usually does. This time, in the midst of Paris Fashion Week in February 2020, Saks Potts will present the fall 2020 collection, which Saks says is set to be a “big surprise”.
And though the pre-fall collection shown in Copenhagen verges into some totally new silhouettes for the designers: see Matrix-like oversized jackets, shift dresses, and looser sweater-coats, the two maintain that outerwear is still the biggest focus. “We see ourselves as a fashion brand but with focus on outerwear,” explains Potts.
So, what’s next for the brand? It has a lot to do with expanding their customer base to men. “We get so many emails from guys,” says Saks with a laugh. Because of that, the two have included a few pieces throughout the pre-fall 2020 collection that are designed to be worn by all genders, such as the oversized coats. If anything, the brand’s talent in creating covetable coats for both celebrities and the street style masses will pay off with this new addition.
