For the fashion set, September means the start of the spring runway season. For everyone else, it means the start of the fall semester.  

Christian Juul Nielsen bridged the two at Aknvas, packing his new lunchbox shaped bags to head back to boarding school, “the happiest years of my life,” said the Øresund efterskole graduate.

Stomping down the hallway — er, runway — in lugged Stuart Weitzman wader boots, the spring 2026 “Breakfast Club” was a hodgepodge of preppies, punks and princesses. “I always have something related to the monarchy in my collections,” explained Nielsen, who’s Danish, “and in this case, my niece is in the same class as the crown princess of Denmark.”

Planting his historical court theme firmly in the youth culture of today, tiers of buoyant ruffles sprouted from bloomers and micro miniskirts — “It’s all minis, we do well with minis,” said Nielsen — while corset lacing cinched the fronts of low-riding skinny jeans. 

Outerwear was a highlight, especially boxy cutaway trenches with jaw-framing storm flaps. They read a bit like redingotes and Nielsen offered them in myriad textiles, from blue denim and khaki cotton to red-and-white tie-dye and green bonded lace. Varsity jackets in distressed leather added edge, as did acid wash pieces, though those didn’t quite make the grade. 

Pleated chinos with 10-gallon pockets jutting out like panniers got an A-plus. They looked cool on a girl with a simple tank and even cooler on a guy, giving regal airs to his collegiate striped shirt. 

But as Nielsen explained, his vision for Aknvas is greater than any one particular item, it’s head-to-toe. “My clients are very open to us selling everything as-is and they really want the whole look,” he said. 

Asked who his dream client is, Nielsen’s answer wasn’t surprising: the princess of Denmark. With his niece’s foot in the door, maybe that assignment will come soon.