Winter 2025/26 and Winter 2026/27 will not be remembered for maximalism. After two years of quiet luxury fatigue, what buyers actually ordered at CIFF, Modefabriek and PREVIEW was not more beige — it was better minimalism.
Sharper.
More feminine.
More French in its finish, more Scandinavian in its discipline.
This is the TREMG winter curation I have been tracking for the past year: three brands that owned the winter trade circuit and now define the new cool girl wardrobe. From Stockholm to Copenhagen to Rotterdam, here’s why they matter now.
Toteme — The Paris-Validated Scandinavian Uniform
Those lucky enough to see it in person remember clearly the presentation and how it sparked a sartorial conversation that continues to echo throughout Paris and beyond. Toteme’s Fall Winter 2025 runway collection featured a cocoon of shearling and fluid tailoring that made utilitarian feel expensive again. Described by the house as bringing ease to winter’s cocooning instinct, the brand struck gold again with the unveiling of its Fall/Winter 2026 collection. File this one as the second generation of Scandi minimal — athletic elegance redefined for everyday wear. Cropped wool pea coats reconstructed into cocoon silhouettes, ribbed wool tank dresses following the body’s natural contour, merino wool and jersey layers built for movement and tension.
Toteme, founded in Stockholm in 2014 by Elin Kling and Karl Lindman, will enter menswear in 2026 with a debut collection by Alexander Häggblad. For womenswear buyers, Toteme now operates as a house, not a trend — the anchor for any winter wardrobe where minimalism has to feel warm, expensive, and lived-in, not stark.
Second Female — Copenhagen’s French Touch
Founded in Copenhagen in 2000 by Preben Laust & Steen Holtermann, Second Female bills itself as Scandinavian chic infused with a modern French touch — think feminine silhouettes, hand-drawn prints, chunky knits, and elegant suits. This is the brand with the vision to create relevant and versatile attire blending effortless luxury and functionality. Their Midnight Allure collection from Winter 2025 leaned into a dark romance theme that showcased after-hours apparel, while Winter 2026 released Reframed Elegance, a fresh interpretation of modern femininity. The Autumn & Winter 2026 edit is now live at wholesale and retail — 20 key styles including the Brooky V Neck Knit in Trench Coat, Norma Jacket in Delicioso, Maira Shirt & Pant in Mid Brown Melange, Irvine Jean in Blue Denim, Ficarias Pant in Pure Cashmere, and Cornelis Dress in Tofu.
Second Female serves as the perfect antidote for the winter wardrobe when minimalism feels too stark. The trade proof backs it up: listed among the most exciting brands at Modefabriek Winter 2026 at EXPO Greater Amsterdam alongside Aimée The Label, and confirmed as a featured showroom for Modefabriek in 2027. The brand also participated in CIFF in 2026, with live podcast recordings and activations — cementing its place as the commercial, wearable heart of Scandinavian winter dressing.
Aimée The Label — The Slow Fashion Cool Girl Winning Awards
The Dutch brand Aimée The Label has been on my radar for years, and it is exactly the kind of slow-fashion story that is winning right now. Founded by agent Suzanne Schaffer, it has grown fast by doing one thing brilliantly: combining comfort and elegance through timeless, wearable designs, produced in small batches from natural materials. Having expanded into Germany and Belgium too, it works only with carefully selected retailers focused on close cooperation and high resale — the kind of quiet growth that actually lasts.
The proof is in the calendar. Atelier d’Aimée launched with feminine silhouettes, subtle glitter details and comfortable basics in high-quality sustainable fabrics, followed by the L’heure dorée presentation, inspired by that magical moment just before sunset. The first Autumn/Winter drop landed with refined details, warm colours and versatile designs — while the brand built real community with a High Summer Soirée at Sharon’s showroom in Rotterdam and its first Archive Store in Den Bosch with up to 70% off timeless favourites. And then the industry noticed: at the PREVIEW Trade Show, Aimée was named Best Brand Women. PREVIEW Women itself took place at CAST Nieuwegein, the key Benelux event for mid- to high-end retailers, and Aimée backed it up with Stand 102 in THE STUDIO at Modefabriek, named one of the most exciting brands at Modefabriek Winter, and already confirmed for the Brand List and featured showroom for the next edition.
Where Scandinavian Minimal Becomes Paris Cool
If you want to understand why Toteme, Second Female and Aimée The Label work together, look at the calendar buyers actually lived through. It started at PREVIEW Women in Nieuwegein, where the first orders were placed and the season’s direction was set in motion. It continued at Modefabriek at EXPO Greater Amsterdam, the radiant kick-off where Amsterdam’s commercial buyers tested what consumers are really flocking towards. Then came CIFF at Bella Center in Copenhagen, the reset moment where Scandinavian minimal was repositioned for a new season. Paris gives the authority. Copenhagen gives the commercial proof. Amsterdam and Nieuwegein give the re-order confidence. That is the exact funnel used to curate the best new winter brands. It’s not always what looks good on a runway for a fleeting moment, but what survives the full buying journey from first order to final re-order. This is where brands live or die, flounder or flourish.
Closing Note — How to Wear Them Now
Buy Toteme for a coat you can wear across many winters. Buy Second Female for the blouse and knit that makes that coat feel French. Buy Aimée the Label for the dress that ties it all together and lets you wear the same look from morning meeting to dinner—a look that is undeniably classic and chic. This is not just brands merging; this is Scandinavian minimal mixed with a sliver of cool Parisian girl, a winning look anywhere in the world.
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