Scroll through the Instagram feeds of fashion-minded folk and it won’t be long before you come across a dress by Scandi label Cecilie Bahnsen. The Copenhagen-based designer has perfected the art of the oversized tent dress. Cutting her cloth with designers Erdem and John Galliano, Bahnsen has since developed an aesthetic that’s all her own.

Stockholm-based fashion stylist Hanna Mw wears a white Cecilie Bahnsen dress on staycation earlier this summer

Her pretty voluminous pieces are all made by hand using traditional couture techniques, and while they don’t come cheap, these are the types of pieces you’ll have in your wardrobe for a long long time. From classic cotton poplin to luxurious silk organza, the fabrics may vary but the essence of the garment stays the same. Made to sit loose on the body, these tent-like dresses and peplum tops are exactly what many of us need after months of lockdown, when fitted clothes and waistbands have largely become a thing of the past…

Irish fashion buyer Ashley Doyle wears a Cecilie Bahnsen peplum top in the Merrion Hotel

It is these fantasy-filled shapes that grab our attention now, when fashion, more than ever, has become a form of escapism. Producing her most recent collection, Bahnsen opted to use 100% upcycled fabrics from previous collections due to lockdown limitations on fabrics and suppliers, as well as “signalling the brand’s attempt to work more thoughtfully,” according to the designer. What remained too from previous seasons were the dramatically full skirts and puff sleeves that she has become known for.

Alexa Chung wears a sunny yellow Cecilie Bahnsen dress in London

But this season it is the styling in her new collection that has caught our eye. Not destined to be just a summer staple, Bahnsen had her ethereal dresses styled over and under the humble Aran knit with cardigans and sweater vests layered and paired with trainers to dress down the final look. Always tonal, the designer opts for monochrome outfits of pure white or black.

While you may not get your hands on a Cecilie Bahnsen dress right now (prices start at €600) you can certainly take style notes from the brand to try at home like some of our favourite Instagram style stars …