Buying from a Copenhagen or Stockholm label means shopping across a border, and three questions decide whether it goes well. Who pays the import duties? Will it fit when European sizing is involved? And what does a return cost if it doesn’t?
This guide answers them for five brands whose own pages we checked in late October 2026: GANNI, STINE GOYA, Acne Studios, Filippa K and Samsøe Samsøe. For what each label is like and how to wear it, read our guide to Scandinavian fashion and the brand profiles linked below.
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Quick answers
- Least duty uncertainty: STINE GOYA, Acne Studios and Filippa K state that duties are included in the price, and Samsøe Samsøe says US customers do not pay them. GANNI does not say, so check its checkout total.
- Cheapest or free shipping: Acne Studios includes express shipping. Filippa K is free over $200, STINE GOYA over $220 and Samsøe Samsøe over $250. GANNI’s UPS pickup is free.
- Cheapest return: Samsøe Samsøe (free by mail or in a store, but processing can take up to 4 weeks), then Filippa K ($4).
- Sizing: compare garment measurements, not size labels.
The five at a glance
Details come from each brand’s own pages, last verified October 28 and 29, 2026. Terms change, so confirm them at checkout.
| Brand | Ships from | US shipping | Duties | Returns (14 days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GANNI | Not stated | Pickup free, Ground $5, 2nd Day $20, overnight $25 | Not stated; prices exclude them | Original shipping not refunded; no online exchanges |
| STINE GOYA | Warehouse in Denmark | $20, free over $220 | Included | You pay return shipping to the brand's address; no exchanges |
| Acne Studios | Normally from within the US | Complimentary express | Included (Delivery Duty Paid) | Return or exchange; sale items are final |
| Filippa K | Warehouse in Sweden | Free standard over $200 | Included | $4 return fee; exchange means return and reorder |
| Samsøe Samsøe | Warehouse in Denmark | Free over $250 outside sale periods | Not charged to US customers, per its FAQ | Free by mail or in a store; processing up to 4 weeks |
Sources, each brand’s own pages: GANNI (delivery, returns), STINE GOYA (delivery, returns), Acne Studios (help and FAQ), Filippa K (delivery, returns and exchanges) and Samsøe Samsøe (shipping, returns and exchanges).
Duties and customs: who pays?
When a parcel crosses a border, import duties and taxes can apply. Brands handle this in one of two ways. Under DDP (Delivery Duty Paid), the brand pays the duties up front, so the price you see is the total. Under DAP (Delivery at Place), the carrier bills you when the parcel arrives. Here is what each of the five says about US orders:
- STINE GOYA: prices include local taxes and import duties, so nothing extra is due on delivery. It adds that UPS may ask for a tax ID on shipments over $2,500 or on items of Chinese origin worth over $250.
- Acne Studios: ships Delivery Duty Paid (DDP), so duties, tariffs and taxes are in the price. It cannot deliver to P.O. boxes, APO or FPO addresses.
- Filippa K: taxes and duties are included in all prices.
- Samsøe Samsøe: its delivery FAQ says US customers do not pay duties or taxes.
- GANNI: prices exclude taxes and duties, and the brand does not say what US orders pay. Check your total before you pay.
Not every Scandinavian label includes duties. Holzweiler ships DAP, so duties, taxes and fees are charged on delivery. By Malene Birger collects import duties, taxes and fees on delivery, and MUNTHE says duties, taxes and customs clearance fees are not included. TOTEME says taxes and duties are calculated and paid at checkout, and House of Dagmar includes duties and taxes with its Priority shipping.
Import rules change, so the all-in total at checkout is the only number that matters.
Sizing: measure, don’t convert
There is no reliable European-to-US size chart, because sizing varies by brand and by cut within a brand. Skip the conversion and do this instead:
- Compare measurements. Lay a piece you own and love flat, measure the chest, shoulders and length, and compare them with the garment measurements on the product page where they are given.
- Read the fit note. Some Scandinavian cuts are generous on purpose. If a coat is meant to look roomy, your usual size may already give you that, and sizing up can lose the shape.
- Use the store’s own chart. Sizes can be labeled in letters or European numbers, so check the size guide on the US store you are ordering from. Shoes are worth a second look, because shoe sizing differs between makers.
- Think about layers. Picture the piece over the thickest sweater you will wear beneath it.
- Check the return terms first if you are torn between two sizes. The next section shows how much they differ.
Our quality checklist explains how to judge fabric and construction once the parcel arrives, and our guide to Norwegian sweater brands covers fit and wool for knitwear.
Returns: check where the parcel goes
All five give you 14 days, and the clock starts when the parcel arrives. The differences are in who pays and where it goes.
- Samsøe Samsøe: free return by mail or in a store, but processing can take up to 4 weeks. Items bought at 40% off or more are final sale.
- Filippa K: a $4 fee, with refunds in 10 to 14 business days. Items must be unworn, unwashed and undamaged.
- STINE GOYA: you pay return shipping, and the parcel goes to the brand’s address rather than a parcel shop. Refunds reach your card within 10 business days of approval.
- GANNI: unused items with tags only. Original shipping is not refunded and online orders cannot be exchanged.
- Acne Studios: returns and exchanges are accepted, and refunds follow 3 to 5 business days after processing. Full-price online orders can also go back to a store in the same country.
A return that crosses the Atlantic costs more time and money than a domestic one. Save the instructions before you need them, and read each brand’s full terms on the returns pages linked under the table above.
Brand site or US department store?
If you usually browse contemporary European brands at a department store such as Nordstrom, it is worth checking whether it lists the label you want. A retailer can mean domestic shipping and returns under its own policy. We have not verified which of these five brands any US department store carries this season, so look at the retailer’s brand page before you count on it.
Two cautions. Prices, sales and size ranges are the retailer’s call, and everything above describes each brand’s own US store, not a retailer’s terms. Compare both before you buy.
Which brand fits how you shop?
- You want the least friction: STINE GOYA, Acne Studios or Filippa K. Duties are stated as included, and each has a US-facing store: STINE GOYA, Acne Studios, Filippa K.
- You want to try Scandinavian style on a smaller budget: Samsøe Samsøe has knitwear from $110 and bags and wallets from $85, with free returns by mail. Its US store is the place to start.
- You want color and print and can check the total yourself: GANNI ships from its US store with low shipping costs, but confirm duties before you pay.
Once your parcel arrives, our guide to caring for wool and cashmere helps knitwear last, and cost per wear shows whether a pricier piece is worth it.
Prices and policies are on each brand profile with a last-verified date, and the full brand directory covers more Scandinavian labels.
