OpéraSPORT SS26: Seoul’s Serenity Meets Copenhagen Cool
- Camz
- Aug 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 9
There are collections that whisper, and then there are collections that hum quietly in your ear while handing you a vegan leather jacket embroidered with hibiscus flowers. OpéraSPORT’s Spring/Summer 2026 belongs in the latter category; calm on the surface, but with that sly confidence of someone who knows they’ve nailed the assignment.
The founders, Stephanie Gundelach and Awa Malina Stelter, took a trip to Seoul and apparently came back with more than a jet lag. They returned with an armful of contrasts: serene temples and bold skyscrapers, pastel sunsets over busy streets, and the kind of soft modernity that makes you want to cancel your entire dark winter wardrobe.
The Palette: A Pastel Love Letter to Seoul
Imagine Seoul through an Instagram filter set to “dreamy”: sage green, butter yellow, soft blue, blush pink, crisp white, and that signature pastel green that looks suspiciously like it was designed to photograph well on a café terrace.And then there’s the custom hibiscus print, Korea’s national flower, reimagined with just enough modern edge to make you forget your phone background is still last year’s cherry blossom. It floats through the collection like a signature scent: subtle, but you notice it every time.
The Pieces: Architectural Grace with a Floral Wink
The Dresses
Sculptural dresses take the lead here. Think fluidity, but with a spine: soft fabrics that remember their lines. Some arrive in sheer 3D lace flower styles, the kind that could easily double as an art installation if you hang them right. They have that quality of effortless effort: it looks like you just threw it on, but in reality, the dress has been carefully engineered to fall exactly so.
Somewhere in the front row, a guest whispers, “It’s giving hanbok, but make it Copenhagen,” and the PR team tries not to smile too obviously.
The Tailored Sets
Tailored sets here are architectural without being cold; sharp lines softened by buttery pastels. Jackets that feel like they could belong in both a boardroom and an art gallery. Perfect for the person who wants to say, “Yes, I’m important,” but also, “Yes, I can have a Negroni at 2 p.m.”
The Vegan Leather Moment
Enter the vegan leather hibiscus jacket. It’s bold, yes, but in that unassuming Scandinavian way, it’s the jacket equivalent of a raised eyebrow. The embroidery is intricate, floral without being fussy, and when paired with minimal trousers, it’s practically begging to be photographed in black-and-white for a magazine spread.
The Trenchcoat to End All Trenchcoats
Some trenchcoats just keep you dry. This one keeps you remembered. 3D hibiscus flowers, floral embroidery, and an all-over hibiscus print: OpéraSPORT didn’t just flirt with the motif, they committed. It’s the coat you put on when you want strangers to ask, “Sorry, where did you get that?”
The Hanbok Reinterpretations
Traditional Korean hanbok silhouettes are here, stripped back and filtered through OpéraSPORT’s minimalist lens. The result is refined nostalgia, like a memory of a celebration you didn’t quite attend, but wish you had.
The Lace & Seamless Styles
Delicate lace textures appear in the brand’s new seamless pieces. These are the “I woke up like this” garments of the collection except, of course, you didn’t, because someone spent hours perfecting the drape and stretch.
The Setting: A Poolside Reverie
The show unfolds at Frederiksberg Badene, Copenhagen’s historic swimming facility, chosen to echo the serene energy of the collection. There’s a poetic detail here: the founders’ hotel pool in Seoul had a similar view, and it became a quiet inspiration thread.It’s the kind of staging that says, Yes, we care about details, even the ones you can’t quite articulate.
The Casting & Beauty: Real Faces, Real Glow
True to its ethos, OpéraSPORT’s cast is a mix of street-cast personalities, emerging talents, and established faces. They walk not just as models, but as individuals with the kind of energy you can’t fake.Hair by Hanna Ramirez (using Iles Formula) is relaxed but precise, like a good bob, it looks simple until you try to replicate it. Beauty by Miild leans into dewy skin and soft floral tones, as if the models have just stepped out of a Seoul tea house and into the Copenhagen light.
The Fabric Ethos
Every piece is crafted from recycled or organic fabrics, because OpéraSPORT doesn’t just do sustainability, it does it in a way that looks good under runway lighting. Timelessness and versatility are non-negotiable here: each look is designed to float between seasons and situations without losing relevance.
Final Impression
OpéraSPORT SS26 is not a loud collection, but it speaks fluently. It balances tradition with innovation, softness with structure, Seoul with Copenhagen.It’s the wardrobe of someone who travels light, dresses well, and knows that the right trenchcoat can get you into any conversation worth having.
