Patrick Michael Hughes Senior Fashion Editor Men's Fashion Writer
Photographs by James Cochrane
Alectra Rothschild - Masculina presented their Fall 2025 collection on the opening day of Copenhagen Fashion Week. I t was a call to arms to acknowledge and the brutality and mistreatment of Trans persons. The runway shows title was "Give the Girl a Gun" inspired by a spoken word poem by Miss Amy Assakf.
" Give this girl a gun and let her sleep with it at night and let the sun carve memories in her face and let her walk into
the unknown depths with rage as her fire and sincerity as her weapon and let her shoot those who carved away
her wings and let her take them back and let her walk and give this girl a gun and do not condone a survivor for
not only surviving but bringing life and let her eyes unsee what the child saw and give this girl a gun and let her
fire it into the inner depths of the hellish chambers that are his heart and let her fly again and gift her wings and
give this girl a gun."
The collection notes highlighted the number of Trans people killed and brutalized in 2024. This was echoed in the make-up in on the models faces and bodies. Bruised cheeks to battered shoulders and a look of over all terror. There was a scrappy sense of survival and triumph throughout out the entire presentation. The sobering facts were front and center in collection notes "Trans people have the highest suicide-rate of any minority. 30-50% try to commit suicide. Which is the highest
percentage of any minority group in the world. We face the disproportional homelessness and joblessness because of discrimination."
The color story of the collection explores the ideas of guns.. silver, gun metal, black.
There was a distinctive distressed glamor to the clothing as described in the collection notes 'dresses were shredded and falling off the body' . The look not only communicated constant battling as the collection stated but the glamor of the textiles balanced with the exposure communicated a sense of release, pride and body ownership. The range was from mixed textures of black fabrication to silver tattered sequins. There was also a red custom latex symbolic of bleeding wounds. The call to advocacy and to arms in terms of vengeance found a place of significance in the coats. The sensibility of the silhouette and the textile was bold, imposing and had a protective nature.
The majority of this collection emphasizes sustainability, with most pieces crafted from up-cycled or dead-stock materials. This season, a notable portion features TENCEL™ fibers, derived from wood harvested from responsibly managed forests. These fibers are produced in a resource-efficient closed-loop process, underscoring the brand’s dedication to environmentally conscious practices. All fur and leather is upcycled and in collaboration with Mikkel Schou.
Standout designs include a tailored trench coat, elevated by flowing panels that cascade and fluid, liquid-like dresses made from translucent jersey. These dresses offer a soft, nearly weightless drape, reflecting the collection’s harmonious blend of innovation, elegance, and sustainability.
This was Alectra Rothschild/ Masculina final season being part of the CPHFW NEWTALENT initiative, which offers critical support to three to five emerging designers each season. The program provides monetary backing, mentorship, partnerships, professional guidance, and inclusion in the official show and presentation schedule. Additionally, designers gain access to event participation, showroom activations, an alumni network, and international publicity through Copenhagen Fashion Week’s extensive channels.
The final New Talent collection went out with a stronger and even more glamorous presentation of clothing than the past seasons. The statements have been consistently timely and unwavering in the brand's communication and commitment to Trans issues, realities and lives.
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