Dea Kudibal, a Danish fashion brand specialising in womenswear, was founded in 2003 with a selection of luxury silk scarves. Clothes were added to the roster in 2008, and the brand has grown since then, with its founder Dea Kudibal moving to Shanghai from 2013 – 2018 to accelerate the company in a market she thought would be most receptive. She returned to Denmark after that time.
In 2020, Tina Raasteen joined the brand as CEO, with Dea stepping into a new creative role after 17 years at the helm. Over the last four years, Raasteen’s mission has been to bring Dea Kudibal into a new phase: full concept ready-to-wear, strong brand positioning, and more markets.
“I was very lucky with Dea, because she really handed over the keys and trusted me. As a brand, we are very print-driven and color-driven,” explains Raasteen, “which sets us apart from what people think of as typically Scandinavian, and I wanted to make sure that continued to be part of our DNA.”
Above: Tina Raasteen CEO of Dea Kudibal
While other Danish fashion brands seeking to crossover into international markets have chosen to invest heavily in social media, or focus on developing an “it girl” reputation, Dea Kudibal has taken another route: long-term and inclusive.
“We realize that our customer base is pretty wide, from young women to older women, and we love that,” says Raasteen. “We aren’t trying to be only for one age group or generation. Our clothes are more timeless than that.”
Tina, along with the Dea Kudibal team, settled on a five year strategy in 2023, taking them through 2028. “It includes expanding our portfolio, adding new design capabilities in-house, which we have done already, and really focusing on brand awareness internationally and market expansion.”
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Raasteen says the UK and German markets have been extremely excited about Dea Kudibal. The US market has welcomed the brand with open arms since their launch in autumn 2023, proving that the market is ready for their feminine, classic, and quality approach.
“We are’t what people might think about when they consider what Scandinavian fashion looks like,” says Raasteen, “but in a way that’s one of our strengths. We don’t go for anything overly trend-driven. Instead, we focus on offering a wide range of styles in artistic prints and flattering cuts. People say you can’t cater to everyone, and that’s true, but you can cater to a large audience. We’ve proven that’s true!”
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So what, really, does make Dea Kudibal a Scandinavian brand? “Well, it’s interesting because it’s never been a goal of ours for people to think of us that way. That said, we are actually a great example of Scandinavian fashion – and Scandinavian design.
We are Scandinavian because…we are. Denmark is our home. We have grown up with an attention to detail that is very engrained in our culture. There is more to Scandinavian than the stereotype of minimalist, beige fashion – and we are a great example of that.” explains Raasteen.
“We focus on demoractic design that suits many people. We’re invested in top quality, great materials, and timeless shapes. And then we have our in-house textile design, which is very painterly and very aligned with classic Scandinavian design. It’s all about craftsmanship, and it doesn’t get more Scandinavian than that!”
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Dea Kudibal’s journey over the last two decades has been one of sustainable, yet tremendous growth and investment into their strengths. Their foray into more international markets is timely and borne from authentic interest, making the journey one that feels both natural and exciting.
Find out more about Dea Kudibal.