A conversation with the founders of Ganni

Earlier this year I interviewed Nicolaj and Ditte Reffstrup at their home in Copenhagen and wrote about it for The Guardian. It was just before they released their responsible business manifesto: The Ganni Playbook. This week I’m sharing a longer, un-edited version of that story with you. It’s the first time I’ve put anything behind a pay-wall. If you find yourself clicking on the link, I invite you to become a paid subscriber and once a month, you’ll have access to more in-depth, behind the scenes content.

As of next week, I’ll be in the US until the end of November (which means I’ll be there for the election). I’m attending and speaking at some sustainable fashion conferences - so there’ll be lots to share!

Ganni: what’s the secret of the covetable Danish label’s success?

It’s the final night of Copenhagen fashion week and the Danish-It-girl brand Ganni is throwing an after party at the Apollo Bar – the coolest restaurant in one of the coolest cities in the world. In a room hidden behind a heaving dance floor, Paloma Elsesser, the size-inclusive New York model who opened Ganni’s show hours before, is dominating the karaoke room with dance moves so impressive she is surrounded by a group of strangers rapping at the top of their lungs. When I go to leave, Ganni’s creative director Ditte Reffstrup (who relaunched the brand with her husband Nicolaj in 2009) is on her hands and knees on the bar, whipping her long blonde hair in time to the bass. 

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While the Reffstrup’s are famous in fashion circles for hosting dinners and parties, it feels like the kind of celebration that belongs to a different era. Especially in this