Sunflower is a Copenhagen-based menswear brand founded in 2018 by Ulrik Pedersen (previously known for NN07), Martin Gjesing (of Moon), and Swedish designer Bengt Thornefors. Founded by designers who grew frustrated with passing fashion fads and the disposability of seasonal trend cycles, Sunflower was built around a single conviction: that the right approach to menswear is to make real clothes for men’s daily lives — luxurious in quality, understated in design, and built to last years rather than seasons.
Key Facts
- Founded: 2018
- Founders: Ulrik Pedersen, Martin Gjesing, and Bengt Thornefors
- Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
- Industry: Contemporary Menswear
Philosophy and Design
The three founders brought decades of combined experience in menswear design, production, and business — and a shared frustration with an industry that incentivises volume and novelty over quality and longevity. Sunflower was conceived as an antidote: a menswear wardrobe rooted in traditional tailoring methods, built from carefully sourced premium fabrics (including GOTS-certified Italian cotton denim, fine wools, and technical innovations), and designed with the emphasis on layering versatility and enduring appeal rather than seasonal statements.
The brand shows during Copenhagen Fashion Week and has quickly established itself as a significant voice in Scandinavian menswear, recognised alongside Norse Projects, Soulland, and mfpen as part of Denmark’s contribution to European contemporary menswear. Sunflower is stocked by SSENSE and international retailers.
Aesthetic
Sunflower collections sit between traditional tailoring and relaxed contemporary menswear — slim-fit blazers, knit crewnecks, patterned button-ups, chinos, and casual trousers in quality fabrics with considered construction detail. Checkered woolens and jacquard florals occasionally add playfulness to an otherwise disciplined aesthetic. The brand’s tagline — “clothes crafted to last, designed for everyday life” — is an accurate description of what every collection delivers.
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