BIRROT occupies the increasingly interesting space between Korean precision and Scandinavian ease. Founded by Min Kim and Sey Hong, the Copenhagen-based label creates refined, modular clothes designed to come alive on the body rather than overwhelm it.
For Autumn/Winter 2026, the brand explores instinct, movement and unspoken communication through sculptural silhouettes, considered layers and new treatments of its signature bonded crêpe. Fabric of Society speaks to the designers about the collection, the continuing conversation between Copenhagen and Seoul, and what to expect next.
BIRROT brings together your Korean heritage and the quiet precision of Scandinavian design. How did those two perspectives first shape the language of the brand?
The fusion between Seoul and Copenhagen is such an inherent part of BIRROT’s DNA. Both cultures have a strict discipline when it comes to minimalism, but we took the sharper Korean perspective and blended it with Denmark’s looser pragmatism to form the expression of our brand.
The name BIRROT derives from the Korean word birrot-hada. Why did that sentiment feel like the right starting point for the label?
The name BIRROT comes from the Korean word birrot-hada, meaning “to start from” or “to begin with”. We chose to interpret it as a jumping-off point.
For us, the brand began when we moved to Denmark, first Min and then, a few months later, Sey. It is really about beginning our journey in a new country.
What was the initial inspiration behind your AW26 collection, Eyes Talk, and what did you want the title to express?
For Autumn/Winter 2026, we wanted to express BIRROT’s unspoken body language and speak to a kind of intuitive consciousness. There is a sensitivity to the woman who wears our garments, which runs as an undercurrent throughout the collection.
How did the idea of unspoken communication translate into the collection’s silhouettes, textures and construction?
One of our core brand principles is “sympathy in shape”. Our garments first exist as truly flat patterns and come alive on the body, becoming different on each individual.
That creates a thread of connection and an unspoken communication between us and our customers, which feels quite intimate.
BIRROT is known for creating a refined, modular uniform. How did you evolve that idea for AW26 without losing the clarity at the heart of the brand?
BIRROT began as a way of designing clothes that we wanted to wear ourselves, creating pieces we simply were not seeing on the market. Each collection is quite personal, so that clarity is always close at hand.
We work intuitively. The pieces we were naturally wearing and styling became additions to the collection. We often layer our mini skirt over trousers, for example, so it made sense to combine them into one garment.
Your signature bonded crêpe, Lay, has become an important part of BIRROT’s identity. What possibilities did the fabric open up within this collection?
Each season, we try to push ourselves within the confines of our Lay fabric. For Autumn/Winter, we played with construction, adding panelled slits to the silhouette of our classic H-skirt.
We also developed a new technique to create a fleece-like lining, which can be seen in the Lay3 Sweatshirt.
You design between Copenhagen and Seoul, with pieces crafted in Korea. How does the dialogue between the two cities continue to influence your creative process?
We travel to Korea twice a year for around six to eight weeks, so we always have a foot in each country.
We are lucky to work this way because we can sit in our Seoul atelier and work closely with the product, then return to Copenhagen to photograph it and spend time in our store, where we see the garments come to life on our customers.
Is there one look or piece from AW26 that captures the collection particularly completely for you?
It is difficult to choose, but perhaps the Lay4 Cropped Jacket. It captures such a defining quality of BIRROT. The weight of its four bonded layers, combined with the cropped silhouette, feels particularly fresh.
As BIRROT’s international presence continues to grow, what ambitions do you have for the next chapter of the brand?
We are currently finalising the renovation of our Copenhagen flagship, which we are excited to officially open later this year.
We have worked extensively on the project and it feels deeply personal to us. We cannot wait to share it with everyone.
Finally, can you give Fabric of Society an exclusive, one-line preview of what we can expect from BIRROT next season?
Spring/Summer 2027 is lighter and airier. For the first time, we have combined our self-developed Lay fabric with another material, which feels completely new and fresh for us.
