TrendWatch Studio | Andréia Oliveira

The costume design process for Copenhagen Expats is moving forward, and I am now reaching the final stages of my research and visual development for the male characters.At this point, my work is not about defining one fixed look and presenting it as the answer. It is about researching, interpreting and developing visual possibilities that can be presented to the director.I see costume design as a collaborative form of storytelling.

The costume designer helps translate the director’s vision and the narrative into clothing, colours, silhouettes, textures, accessories and small visual signals. My role is to understand the characters deeply enough to offer thoughtful possibilities and to give the director options that allow us to discuss what best serves each character and the story as a whole.

Where Trend Research Meets Costume Design

One of the pillars of my approach to costume design stems from my work as a trend researcher.

I am accustomed to observing the streets, identifying cultural signals, studying consumer behaviour, and questioning why certain aesthetic choices emerge within specific groups, places, or moments in time.
When I dedicate myself to costume design, I bring this research-oriented mindset with me.

However, there is an important distinction: a character is not a trend report.
The goal is not simply to dress the character in whatever is currently in vogue especially since what is promoted as a trend on social media often fails to reflect real life.

There is a fine line here, and it requires time to observe and understand the context, the character’s journey, and the director’s vision. In this way, trend and cultural research become tools for understanding the world that surrounds the character.

Research opens up possibilities for me.

Looking beyond fashion

In recent weeks, my research has also taken me beyond clothing, allowing me to do something I love: immersing myself in different subcultures to understand issues related to identity, community, and the sense of belonging.
For Copenhagen Expats, this is important because clothing can carry traces of different places and different versions of a person’s journey.

I have been documenting parts of this research as the project develops:

Full article on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/field-notes-from-copenhagen-researching-belonging-home-oliveira-r6tje

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Copenhagen street style as field research

My current focus is on developing the male characters.
The photos shared (on social media) serve as research references; they are not the final costumes, nor do they reveal the definitive style of any character from Copenhagen Expats ( that remains confidential for now).

I use street observation to study details: proportions, layering, accessories, footwear, color combinations, practical choices, and the relationship between individual expression and Copenhagen’s visual environment.
I am looking for cues to investigate.

Street observation → cultural research → interpretation → character development.

This distinction is fundamental to my process.

From Research to Character Creation

The next step is to filter these possibilities and present the strongest directions to the director. Some ideas will remain only at the research stage, others will evolve.
Some may disappear completely, and finally, a selection of these references will become part of the characters visual language.

For me, this transformation is one of the most fascinating aspects of costume design: seeing a vast universe of cultural information gradually transform into something very specific for a fictional character.
We are moving forward, but the final visuals remain under wraps for now.
There is still room to join this journey.

As character development progresses, Copenhagen Expats continues its fundraising and collaboration phase. This means there is still an opportunity for select brands in the fashion, accessories, and lifestyle sectors to participate with pieces that fit the characters world.

Brands and creative partners interested in the project can also contact us at this stage to learn more about the characters and offer support; follow the link to find out how your brand can participate in this creative work https://seedandspark.com/fund/copenhagen-expats

Meet the Cast

Behind every piece of research, reference, and costume decision lies a character and behind every character is the actor who will bring those choices to life.
Copenhagen Expats brings together an international cast to tell a story about living in a new city, relationships, identity, and the complex question of belonging.
As costume research becomes more specific, seeing the people who will bring these characters to life makes this stage particularly exciting.

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Costume Research

Current stage: Character style development
📍 Research location: Copenhagen

Method: Street observation + trend and cultural research + character analysis
Next step: Moving from visual possibilities to the final costume direction
The final costumes will come later.

For now, I am documenting the questions, observations, and research that will help us get there.

Related topics: Costume design · Character development · Trend research · Street style research · Cultural research · Visual storytelling · Copenhagen fashion · Independent production · Web series

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• • Trend-Led Secondhand Curation →I developed my methodology to apply trend forecasting and consumer behaviour research to the secondhand market.
• • Field Notes→ Exploring fashion, consumer behaviour, circularity and cultural change through field research and market observation.

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