Aknvas Evolves Scandinavian Fairy Tale for Resort 2026

Christian Juul Nielsen is a storyteller. While resort can be a time for designers to lean more commercial, Nielsen is steadfast in his mission of continuing to evolve his Scandinavian fairy tale. “It doesn’t work for me to do what other brands are doing,” he said at a preview in his studio. “Everything has to be emotional. Everything has to have something special.”

His special touchpoints include craftsmanship, textures, embroideries and a nod to sport, all parts of his brand DNA that have made his collection a hit at retail.

Party dressing is a sweet spot, right in line with the holiday bent seen in resort collections. A white tulle frock with a cropped jacket, fur stole and riding boots set the line up as his first look. A gold foil mimicked snakeskin on dresses, while a mix of greenish sequins in different sizes — some shiny, others matte — spoke to his craft, creating a trompe-l’oeil effect that gave movement and depth to a long skirt. He paired it with a sheer knit or a short-sleeve blouse in the style of a sport jacket with toggles, but made luxe by his fabric choice of silk.

Pieces were fantastical but grounded. “I always try to think who is the actual girl,” he said.

Knits were unexpected, like a fire engine red chunky grandpa sweater style bodysuit with sleeves. Lace paneling on dresses was young but not too girlish.

Accessories were thoughtful, particularly his range of fur stoles where each color was placed to mirror the real thing. Neilsen worked at J.Mendel and intimately understands how fur should look and lay, and he sees the new range as a new entry point to his brand.

“I think especially with this political thing happening, I don’t think people are going to be shopping a ton,” he said. “You’re not buying just for the sake of it. So I’ve really tried with this collection to make everything super unique.”