IMAGES Copenhagen Fashion Week
When I first stepped off the plane on my first trip to Copenhagen, I was anticipating sunshine. “The weather is always gorgeous in August,” my editor had recounted to me from natives she’d met during a previous trip. Needing little encouragement, I had packed what I believed to be appropriately summery outfits: a selection of skirts (and no tights), GANNI-approved denim co-ord sets aplenty and one flimsy blazer jacket stuffed in last-minute. After all, I was travelling with only my hand luggage.
To my horror, I arrived on Monday morning to torrential rain. I dashed from the airport to the taxi rank and rode the 45-minute journey to my rented apartment in Nørrebro. Without waterproofs or sensible shoes, I grabbed an umbrella from my hosts’ hallway and headed out to my first show.
I arrived to a gaggle of impeccably well-dressed women huddling like penguins as they filed into the gated courtyard of the Designmuseum Denmark to witness the unconventional knitwear atelier, A Roege Hove. Sodden benches lined the cobblestones as the PR team handed out plastic ponchos. I expected to see outraged expressions – or perhaps even empty seats – but instead, I was met with packed rows of smiles – this crowd wasn’t about to let a little rain get in the way of a good time. I made friends with my neighbour, an Australian magazine editor who was similarly unprepared for the downpour, and we laughed about our soggy soles as we shared my umbrella.
The same spirit remained throughout my week in the Danish capital. One memory sticks out to me as particularly unbelievable – on Monday evening, after an hour-long bus ride to the Charlottenlund coast for Saks Potts, hundreds of attendees lined a 200-metre oceanside catwalk. The brutal North Sea winds battered against the promenade’s edge, umbrellas turning inside out or flying haphazardly overhead while phone screens were unintelligible from the rain. Despite the storm, the hundreds of onlookers waited patiently, with much discussion about where to go for dinner afterwards. I thought to myself, this just wouldn’t happen anywhere else on the fashion calendar.
I’m yet to meet someone who has had a negative experience at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Upon its mention, I’ve been told countless stories that mirrored my own experience of making friends, meeting designers and learning about inspiring innovation powering fashion’s future. While I appreciate that these events are hosted with the primary purpose of showcasing the best sartorial talent of the region, fashion weeks as a whole have been called into question in recent years for their elitist opulence, excessive carbon emissions and dwindling relevancy in an increasingly digital landscape, where images can be shared instantly to a global audience.
Among the uncertainty of fashion month’s future, it seems like Copenhagen knows exactly how to host compassionately. Perhaps this is down to the Danish disposition, but I think there’s much the international fashion community can learn from the Scandinavian style hub.
The Attendees
Among my discussions about Copenhagen Fashion Week, the word that recurred most often was “humane”. This might sound a touch dramatic, but as anyone who has had to cross a bustling city on delayed public transport or in inappropriate footwear can attest to, this cannot be said for all fashion weeks.
This is partly thanks to a sympathetic schedule – shows are spaced out with at least an hour in between, making it possible to walk or cycle between most show locations with ease (and you can pick up a Danish hot dog on the way, where you’ll likely get chatting to more locals). Making show spaces easily accessible and reasonably separated not only contributes to a stress-free travel experience for newbies, it directly impacts who can attend in the first place and leads to increased inclusivity.
For locations slightly further afield (or for those who just want a seat), a bus is provided for international press to travel seamlessly between shows. This bus sounds like it’s been plucked from a fashion intern’s dream – it’s electrically powered, serves beer and hot sandwiches, and has no strict seating plan, so traditional media members are not segregated from content creators as we’ve become accustomed to. Plus, there’s usually a PR team member on board, so any traffic delays can be comfortably communicated. It’s a simple yet genius idea, and the results are palpable – well-fed and well-rested attendees, on-time and accounted for, and without a hierarchy in sight.
Locals just have a way of embracing you into their social circle with such ease. I truly believe it psychologically alters any non-Danish person to be a little friendlier and more inviting.
“In my opinion, the vibe of Copenhagen Fashion Week embodies how every social interaction should start – by considering everyone a friend until they potentially dwindle to being a stranger, as opposed to considering everyone a stranger until they prove themselves to be a friend,” says stylist Marie-Anne Caufour.
She recounts that on her first day in the city, she was recognised from her TikTok by a passerby. They quickly struck up a friendship and spent the remaining week together. “Next thing I know, I was in a dodgy underground bar with her entire friend group from her childhood, from her old school, and from the industry. We bopped around until 3 am attending after parties, eating at their favourite Greek restaurant and showing me the landmarks to their own fondest memories. It’s definitely up there in my ‘best nights of my life’ ranking.”
Irish stylist Zeda The Architect, who has attended for the past three seasons, shares a similar experience from her first visit. “I know I dress flamboyantly, but I’m actually a really anxious person. I was approached to appear in a street-style video, and afterwards, one of the girls asked if I was lost. They took me in and shared their car with me, and then sent me messages with addresses for parties that night. They adopted me and I’m so grateful for it because it gave me so much confidence, and I’ve made genuine friends every time I’ve gone since,” she shares.
I was approached to appear in a street-style video, and afterwards, one of the girls asked if I was lost. They adopted me and I’m so grateful for it because it gave me so much confidence, and I’ve made genuine friends every time I’ve gone since.
Throughout the week, the team at CPHFW host a number of community-building events at its Creator Hub. From networking events, dinners and parties to morning meditation sessions and skincare masterclasses, the intention is clear: to strike a healthy balance between work and leisure.
“Living in Paris now for almost two years, I can confidently say that kind of openness is a huge cultural gap,” Cafour explains. “Locals just have a way of embracing you into their social circle with such ease. I truly believe it psychologically alters any non-Danish person to be a little friendlier and more inviting.”
The Designers
The same community-building spirit can be witnessed among Copenhagen Fashion Week’s designers. This was most recently seen during AW24 when schedule stalwart Ganni chose not to show, instead financially supporting and consulting a number of emerging Nordic designers, including rising stars Nicklas Skovgaard and A Roege Hove, as well as newer names Alectra Rothschild/Masculina, Sarah Stem, Jens Ole Árnason, Sahar Jamili and Sisse Bjerre.
Other supporters include Esprit and Zalando, with the latter championing London-based brand Paolina Russo after it received the inaugural Zalando Visionary Award back in AW23, recognised for the brand’s approach to its collaborative manufacturing network.
Moreover, CPHFW has its own talent incubator programme aimed to nurture, develop, and promote homegrown talent on a global scale. The NewTalent scheme creates new opportunities for three to four emerging designers per season via monetary support, mentorships, partnership offerings, professional advisors, onboarding to the official show schedule, event participation, alumni network, and extensive PR through CPHFW’s international community and channels.
One such recipient is Finnish designer Rolf Ekroth, who launched his eponymous brand in 2016. “Since day one being a part of the programme, the NewTalent team have been some of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with in fashion,” says Ekroth. “One of the best aspects of their support is that I feel it’s coming from a selfless place – they want to see me succeed and they are not asking for anything in return.”
Since day one being a part of the programme, the NewTalent team have been some of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with in fashion.
In London, emerging designers can occasionally be caught lurking in the back of a presentation but most prefer to remain backstage, only speaking to the select few journalists granted access. Meanwhile, in Copenhagen, the NewTalent designers are scheduled to show in the first two days, spending the remainder of the week in the specially-curated NewTalent Showrooms. Designs from the runway are available to view up close and the designers can chat through the work, offering an intimate opportunity for international press and buyers to appreciate the collection outside of its catwalk spectacle in a welcoming environment that encourages personal connections.
It’s worth noting just how generous CPHFW’s programme is – unlike other schemes, NewTalent supports brands for three consecutive seasons before they graduate to an Alumni Scheme which continues offering them support across showcasing, events, networking, business support, communication, and sponsorship opportunities. The long-term support is unrivalled, and speaks to the organisation’s deep understanding and empathy for emerging designers and the difficulties many are facing in the current financial climate.
After my first season and first show, I felt so touched by all the support, understanding and love that was shown to my work and my way of showcasing it – not only from the people around me in my small team and my local community, but also from industry professionals. For me, it’s been proof of all the loving and caring people who work within the fashion industry.
“Before becoming a part of the CPHFW NewTalent scheme I was in some ways worried about how it would affect my work to go into showcasing my collections during fashion week,” says NewTalent recipient Nicklas Skovgaard. “Would it be too soon for my brand? How would the people in the industry feel about what I was doing? After my first season and first show, I felt so touched by all the support, understanding and love that was shown to my work and my way of showcasing it – not only from the people around me in my small team and my local community, but also from industry professionals. For me, it’s been proof of all the loving and caring people who work within the fashion industry.”
“It’s also worth mentioning how well the CPHFW team treats my staff and crew,” Ekroth adds. “They remember everyone’s names and will approach them to say hi and ask how they’re doing, even to my parents who come and help at the show.”
The Planet
Copenhagen Fashion Week’s commitment to sustainability is revolutionary – in 2020, it introduced the first Sustainability Action Plan inspiring long-term change in the Nordic scene and beyond. While much of the global fashion industry accepts the need for change, there is widespread disappointment at the lack of measurable progress that has been made in recent years. Far from virtue signalling, CPHFW’s Action Plan does as the name suggests, laying out an actionable framework that encompasses the entire value chain across six focus areas, including strategic directions, design, working conditions and consumer engagement.
Since 2020, brands have had to meet 18 minimum standards for responsible fashion production to be included on the schedule, including zero-waste shows, no single-use plastic and producing collections from at least 50 percent certified recycled, upcycled or deadstock materials, as well as building more diverse and inclusive teams. It’s the first fashion week to require any such standards, while sustainability is still largely missing from the major cities.
Along with its sustainability framework for brands, CPHFW itself has set targets to reduce its environmental impact, including offsetting all carbon emissions from its own activities and reducing its carbon emissions by 50 percent compared to 2019. Additionally, the organisation publishes an Annual Sustainability Report showcasing its commitments, challenges and ambitions in living up to its proposed strategy, as well as discussing the barriers faced and plans to overcome them to progress in the future. It’s transparency and accountability that you’ll scarcely find elsewhere across the industry.
In March 2024, CPHFW published the first revision of these sustainability requirements, outlining several changes and additions to the original minimum standards. The changes take industry developments, report learnings and feedback from participating designers into account as well as the changing EU policy landscape. Three new minimum standards have been added, with the bar for the same having been raised as many minimum standards have moved from the commitment stage to the implementation stage. 31 additional actions have also been added, with a strong focus on social sustainability.
Copenhagen Fashion Week’s empathetic yet accountable approach to sustainable innovation is inspiring, and I hope other major fashion cities will take note. What feels especially exhilarating is how this sartorial mindset has spread into its social spheres, encouraging the same compassion we feel for the planet towards one another.
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