WHAT IS BRÚ?

BRÚ DESIGNSTUDIO designs innovative slow fashion inspired by outdoor functionality and Japanese vibes, creating handmade stand-out pieces. BRÚ is a one-woman brand, driven by love for design and with passion to create what hasn’t been seen before. 

MISION

We would love to be seen as a valuable alternative to fast fashion. We want to encourage more conscious consumption via inspiring designs.

INSPIRATION

BRÚ has 3 main inspiration sources:

• Japanese historical wear (kimonos, bows, wrapped look, A-shape)

• Nature (organic shapes, the natural colors)

• Outdoor wear (multifunction, reflective details, functional textiles)

Together, these 3 inspiration sources have molded the design universe that is BRÚ. 

These are some of the biggest achievements of BRÚ:

Vogue feature
Street style feature at Copenhagen Fashion Week for the fall/winter 2023 shows
- VOGUE "The best street style from the Copenhagen Fashion Week fall/winter 2023 shows".
- On the cover of VOGUE Singapore

Fashion week x 2
Feature in ELLE, Bricks magazine, Refinery 29, FASHION magazine and more during Copenhagen Fashion Week street style for the spring/summer 2024 shows

“Danmarks næste tøjdesigner” (season 1)
Participant through auditions with a “yes” from both judges Søren Le Schmidt and Anja Camilla Alajdi.

BRÚ DESIGNSTUDIO is a one-woman brand created by me, Frederikke Bruland.

I have a BA degree in Fashion Design as well as a few years of experience as a designer in the fashion industry (at 3 different companies, including internships).

I quickly found that, for me, being a designer at a commercial brand comes with a lot of compromises on values - in terms of sustainability, copying ethics and general working conditions.

After being frustrated for a while, I thought; I can show that there’s a better way. And so I started BRÚ.

I currently live in Aarhus and have a part time job a few days a week, aside from BRÚ. 

• 2021: Finished my BA in fashion design in December - first shoots - first products (rental)

• 2022: Developing more styles - collaborations with microinfluencers and singers - growing instagram - more shoots

• 2023: Fashion weeks FW23 + SS24 - streetstyle features (Vogue, ELLE, Bricks magazine, Refinery 29, FASHION magazine) - participated in “Danmarks næste tøjdesigner” (sæson 1

• 2024: The brand becomes my part-time job - studio in Aarhus centrum - clothes land in the first retail store

• 2025: Launch of upcycled denim & tent fabric collection + new rental collection - got a bigger studio & renovated this - launching first one-of-a-kind collection

BRÚ works with 3 types of collections:

One-of-a-kind: These pieces are truly unique as they are the only of their kind, still with BRÚ DNA. They come in small drops a few times of year. The fabrics are either deadstock or upcycled and the styles are often adjustable to fit different sizes and shapes. Consider signing up to our newsletter to know when the next drop is coming.

Made to order: Our made to order styles are timeless, standout pieces that can be worn and loved for a long time. Created for the individual customer once an order is placed - to avoid overproduction. Creation time is approximately 4-6 weeks.

Rental: Pieces that will make you stand out in a crowd. At a much lower price, you can rent it for 3 days (price includes cleaning + smaller repairs). The styles are often multi-size to fit multiple body sizes and shapes. We’d love to welcome you to our showroom to try on an item - feel free to contact us.

In general, the designs aim to be “anti”-trend, to make sure that the designs stay relevant for as long as possible. For example, our bags are adjustable at the strap (it can be cross-over, over the shoulder or held by the hand), so it is not limited by trend-shifts.

We put a lot of thought into choosing the right materials for each piece. Our approach goes beyond “only natural fibers” or “only upcycled materials” — it depends on the item, its purpose, and how it will be used.

Functionality comes first
A high-quality, functional product stays relevant longer, which means less throw-away. For example, we use technical textiles with coatings for water repellency. Natural fabrics with water-repellent finishes exist, but they often need re-treatment over time to maintain performance (aside from wool), which can make them harder to keep in use.

Upcycling & Deadstock
We work with materials that would otherwise go to waste. Denim is one of the most polluting fabrics to produce and it is a very strong material, so it makes sense to keep it in circulation. Tent fabric from Smukfest would otherwise be burned — reusing it is both practical and intentional. We also use deadstock fabrics, leftover high-quality textiles from the industry.

Scraps & Circularity
We keep all scraps — even sewing thread — and turn them into new designs when it makes sense. For example, the dress and the sleeves on the image (to the right) are made from leftovers from other designs. We cut the fabric into small hexagons and sewed them together with green sewing thread. It took 140 hours but was definitely worth it.

These material considerations, combined with timeless design, conscious collection types*, adjustable sizing, functionality and quality craft, create a full circle approach to sustainability.
*made to order, rental and upcycled/deadstock collections

The most important thing is that our items are worn and loved for a long time. Because the more an item is worn, the more sustainable it is.

Once your product has been loved for (hopefully) a long time and you’re ready to pass it on, we allow for a buy-back option. Here, we will assess the state of the item and based on that, offer a buy-back price, so the item can be repurposed, either by being fixed and sold as pre-loved - or the material will have new use.