Copenhagen Fashion Week goes global

Copenhagen is looking to broaden its horizons. The Danish capital, which will hold its next Fashion Week from January 30 to February 2, is aiming to expand beyond the already lively Danish fashion scene and cement its status as the city at the crossroads of Scandinavian fashion, while also calling in some names from a little further afield.

Copenhagen attracts a number of buyers through its two trade fairs CIFF and Revolver, which give brands access to Northern Europe. As always, the sprawling CIFF will host its childrenswear fair at the Copenhagen Forum, and its large apparel and accessories event at the Bella Center, comprised of a number of different spaces such as CIFF Shoes, CIFF Raven, menswear and lifestyle, and featuring a total of 2,000 brands, all tied in with the organizer's ongoing Showroom activities which continue outside of the trade fair. The show will also host several runways in a dedicated space. In terms of brands, the organizers are presenting a variety of international names, including newcomers and regulars presenting new concepts: K-Way, Herschel Supply, Patrizia Pepe, Alexa Chung, Harris Wharf, Ami and even Diesel, which has chosen Copenhagen as its one trade-fair appearance for the season.

Revolver's focus is more specifically targeted at premium labels and the fair has organized for some 300 brands to present their fall/winter 18/19 collections at the "Revolver Village", which will also contain individual showrooms. The show will feature menswear, womenswear and unisex labels in a markedly international selection that brings together names such as Stutterheim, Lee, Essentiel Antwerp and Love Stories, as well as a reasonable number of French brands, including American Vintage, Maison Labiche, Valentine Gauthier and Le Mont Saint Michel.

In addition to these B-to-B events and their varied assortment of mid to high-end labels, Copenhagen Fashion Week is offering a program of around thirty runway shows. The first half of the week's opening day on January 30 will shine a spotlight on young designers with the "CFW New Talent Scene", providing a platform for three Danish labels to present their collections. The three brands chosen for this season's show – Sur Le Chemin, By Signe and Forét – all highlight the "slow fashion" movement.

Copenhagen Fashion Week has also been working on its international representation, calling on a variety of foreign labels, such as the Norwegian brand Holzweiler (for the second time), and Swedish labels Uniforms for the Dedicated and J. Lindeberg with its hybrid design sportswear aesthetic.

Another initiative that has contributed two events to the program, including one for the Fashion Week's launch, is a partnership with Kopenhagen Fur, the Danish association of fur producers. The organization's own label Oh! by Kopenhagen Fur will present a runway show on the first day, while a competition challenging fashion students from all over the world to come up with a new and creative design interpretation of fur will take place on the evening of the second day.

Copenhagen Fashion Week goes global

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