I often think of OperaSPORT as the answer to one Copenhagen question, namely what happens when a practical everyday wardrobe is allowed to feel a little theatrical. Awa Malina Stelter and Stephanie Gundelach started the label in 2019 after a friendship turned into a shared business idea. Stelter brought design, production and marketing, Gundelach came from styling and branding, and together they landed on a name that nods to Parisian elegance and the sporty edge of the Danish capital.

They make wearable pieces with a modern look, mostly from recycled or organic fabrics, in volumes that follow demand. I like the plainness of that goal (nice clothes, made without waste for waste's sake). Their first runway show came at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August 2021, and for the AW23 presentation they worked with painter Tom Anholt and pulled colors from his paintings. You can read their own account if you want the full backstory.

The trousers are where the sporty and expressive sides of the label become easy to wear. The Pollensa Pants in brown are the quiet starting point, the Rafaella Trousers bring a checkered grey pattern, and the Maud Cargo Pants add a more utilitarian note. The Rosa Pants keep things simple, the Elisabetta Pants in print shift the mood, and the Ziva Pants round out the row. I went deeper on a related idea in All My Love Tops and Pants: Where to Start.

Picture her taking the early train in the Rafaella Trousers, then changing into the Maud Cargo Pants for an afternoon that runs long. I would keep the top plain whenever a trouser has a pattern or cargo detail, so the bottom half gets to be the story.

This group is less about one formula and more about changing the mood with color. The Donatella Top is the darker anchor, and the Lone Top is a tender yellow that makes a neutral outfit look awake. Rosie, Eloisa, Elva and Amelie give the same close, easy shape a few more options.

In my fashion dreams she wears the Donatella Top with a long, relaxed trouser for dinner, then pulls on the Lone Top with a simple skirt for a brighter daytime plan. Decide whether color or texture is doing the talking, and keep the other half of the outfit quiet. If you need an easy start, the Lone Top with a neutral bottom does the job.

OperaSPORT is not only trousers and tops, and this group makes the point. The Nico Unisex Polo Sweater brings a sporty note into knitwear, the two cardigans, Claire and Cecilia, are the softer layers, and the Shirley Bag, the Naya Dress and the Lone Skirt stretch things further.

Picture her leaving a Copenhagen cafe in the polo sweater, with the Shirley Bag carrying the rest of the day. For a softer day, the Naya Dress or the Lone Skirt lead somewhere a top and trouser would not. I would let one focal piece lead and keep everything else understated.

I wanted this edit to stretch past its trousers and close tops, so here are dresses, layers and a few extra bottoms. The Noèmie Dress in dots and the Sol Dress in black point in very different directions, while Jennifer, the Sabine Dress and the Beatrice Dress are simpler to build around. The Gabriela Dress brings black, coral and lilac together, and the Charlotte Dress in plum is another color anchor. The Esmeralda Dress in black is the quiet one.

Over a top, the answers are very different: the Ambra Long Puffer Coat, the Ambra Short Puffer Jacket, the Giada Jacket and the Elisa Blazer, with the Renata Knit Sweater as the soft option. For a relaxed day I would look at the Devin Jeans with the Francis LS-T-Shirt or the Ella Top. When I want a different bottom, the Patricia Pants in cream, the Cora Pants in print, the Vivienne Trousers in grey and the Daniella Barrel Pants all have a case. The Colette Top, Fonda Top, Tiziana Top, Assunta and Rosella add more shapes, and the Emma Shirt and Lavinia Shirt are the button front layers.

Pick one clear proportion first, such as a close top with a wider trouser, before adding a jacket. What I would skip: buying yet another trouser just because it comes in a new color. A dress or an outer layer will make the wardrobe feel broader.

The reason I keep coming back to OperaSPORT is the way its two halves stay in conversation. The pants and tops feel rooted in an actual week, while the runway work leaves room for something more romantic or playful. I do not need every piece to be dramatic, and I do not want every useful thing to feel plain. Start with the trouser or layer you will reach for often, then let one expressive piece change the energy. Although I suspect the expressive one will be the first to get worn.