Everything you need to know about Saks Potts, the Scandi brand Gaga and Kendall are loving

‘We basically started out making what we wanted to wear ourselves,' Saks Potts founders tell Olivia Petter

(Rex Features)

When it comes to looking effortlessly chic, few nail it quite like the Scandinavians.

Spend just a few moments on Instagram and you’ll see that models, fashion editors and style influencers are head-to-toe in cult Scandi brands like Cos, Acne and By Malene Birger, all of whom pay homage to the minimalist flair that characterises the wardrobes of those in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

But eccentricity is having a moment on the Scandi fashion scene thanks to the rise of labels like Ganni and now, Saks Potts.

Saks Potts is the playful Copenhagen-based brand taking over Instagram with its flamboyant fur coats and colourful co-ords, which are a far cry from the muted styles that define the aforementioned brands.

The label was launched in 2013 by best friends Barbara Potts and Cathrine Saks, both of whom are 26 years old.

"We basically started out making what we and our friends wanted to wear,” they tell The Independent.

One of the brand's most recognisable staples is its fluorescent glitter two-pieces, which have been lighting up social media feeds since the mint green style was worn by Selena Gomez in her “Taki Taki” music video.

The exact same co-ord was subsequently sported by Kim Kardashian West's five-year-old daughter, North West, for a family party.

Those with a keen fashion eye might’ve also spotted the monochrome “SP” logo tights doing the rounds at London Fashion Week, which were worn by savvy street stylers underneath everything from flirty floral dresses to oversized blazers.

But it’s the label’s eccentric and vintage-inspired outerwear that is turning the most heads among the fashion set, with model Kendall Jenner leading the way by donning a vivid forest green fur-lined trench coat that made her look like she’d just dashed off the set of Almost Famous.

Other celebrity fans include Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Cardi B, all of whom have been photographed wearing the label in the last year.

Whether in pastel shades of blue or eye-popping purples, these audacious fur-trimmed coats, like the rest of the label's garments, are made to appear distinctive, explain Potts and Saks.

“The launch of Saks Potts all started with a missing coat,” they explain. “The outerwear market seemed to be ruled by the Scandinavian design aesthetic, which is characterised by architectural lines, muted colours and heavy fabrics like woo. Colours and three-dimensional materials were nowhere to be seen – it was almost as if you were not allowed to stand out in a crowd.”

The designers sought out to break free from what they describe as “the tonal monochrome status quo” and set out to produce experimental clothing that would appeal to those in need of some sartorial wanderlust.

“That was the baseline of our first collection," they say.

Aside from its obvious idiosyncratic quirks, another reason why Saks Potts stands out as a fashion label is that it uses real animal fur and skins – namely lamb skin and fox fur – a design choice that heavily goes against an ethical zeitgeist that has seen designers like Burberry and Chanel eschew fur in the place of faux alternatives.

“We love natural fur, because it’s both beautiful and sustainable,” Saks and Potts explain, adding that they source it from local fur farms in Denmark, which they say is renowned for its animal welfare being among the best in the world.

“Fake fur made of plastic just can’t create the same kind of elegant aesthetics and feel from a designers’ perspective.

“Natural fur is also one of the world’s most sustainable and long-lasting materials that begins and ends in nature, and that’s among the reasons why so many designers are using it.”

“Fur keeps you warm, and that’s important to remember when you are an outerwear brand coming from cold Denmark,” they add.

In an age that is becoming increasingly ethically-conscious, the brand’s decision to use real fur might be unconventional, but they’re clearly not interested in following the crowd.

Prices range from £245 for shiny Space age T-shirts loved by fashion editors to £1,500 for the Insta-famous coats.