Michelle Brandstrup

Michelle Brandstrup is a Danish designer with an international perspective, observing and interpreting the world of sounds, textures, shapes, and movements. She is inspired by simple formations of nature, the colors and movement of the ocean, and the textures of the forest, which she translates into wearable creations.

She likes to work with an element of unpredictability, and her sculptural shapes often arise from experiments with different cutting techniques. She likes to challenge the conventional female silhouette, and with her background as a tailor, it is natural for her to integrate pattern cutting together with design, and to work directly on the female body. She likes to think 3-dimensionally, explore the different spaces within the body or the room between the layers of fabric, and also to have the wearer in mind with her observations and needs – including the feel of the material, the body’s ability to move, but also the smaller yet important details, such as placements of pockets or buttons.

She studied at Kingston University and worked in Berlin and Paris before obtaining her post-graduate degree at Design School Kolding with her collection entitled “The Female Shape?”. Inspired by Japanese design tradition, she experimented with alternative ways to integrate body and sexuality and re-invented how women can dress in more body-covering and loose-fit clothing, while still expressing their sexuality and appearing attractive. Instead of drawing attention to the actual body, she worked in a shape language with references to the female body, and incorporated elements such as movement, transparency, and layer-on-layer techniques both in print and in shape, in order to arouse curiosity in the viewer about the body that is hidden underneath the clothes. With this collection, she was a finalist in the Nordic talent competition Designers’ Nest in 2020.

With shape, colors, and prints, she aims to achieve a timeless aesthetic for women who love creativity, timelessness, youth, attention to detail, and quality.