Translated by
Felicia Enders
Published on
06.09.2023
From August 9th to 11th, the first joint edition of the CIFF and Revolver fairs took place in the Bella Center in the Danish capital, after the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair took over its local competitor earlier in the year. In a next step, the trade fairs will venture into the USA and present a sustainable showroom as part of the New York Fashion Week.
A pragmatic issue
The expectations for this first edition (the 61st for the CIFF) were high, because it was necessary to remain individually faithful to the two fairs while creating a new common identity that offers advantages and incentives for the participants and as many professionals as possible satisfied.
The dynamic hustle and bustle in the corridors and the number of visitors seemed to justify the concept of standardization. This season, the event has tripled its attendance, exceeding 17,000 (7,000 of them were registered on the rainy first day alone). With a visitor share of 60%, the Scandinavian countries dominated, but markets such as Germany, the United Kingdom, the Benelux countries and France were also well represented.
On an area of 20,000 square meters, more than 500 exhibiting brands, which also mainly came from Scandinavian countries, gathered. Followed by Great Britain, Germany, Italy and France. This season’s buyers again included many Italian multi-brand retailers, regular buyers from the Nordic markets, and French, Asian and American professionals.
“As we unite this season and welcome the global fashion industry to Copenhagen, we are filled with confidence and excitement about the show experience we have created,” said Sofie Dolva, who took over the helm of CIFF last summer, succeeding Christina Neustrup took over. She emphasized: “Our efforts over the past six months to prepare for the fair have been focused on our unwavering pride in the Danish fashion industry and our responsibility to act as a bridge between Copenhagen and the world. This allows us to show the international market what we stand for and what incredible talent we have across the Nordic region”. She also emphasized her intention to approach this edition with “a fresh perspective to create something completely new”.
As far as innovations are concerned, the fair took a more pragmatic approach. The layout was less “curated” than previous CIFF events and there was no longer a dedicated sustainability section. The aim was to mainstream environmental stewardship throughout the event rather than isolating it, and less space was allocated to the usual conferences. Essentially, the focus was on adaptability and meeting immediate business needs in the early stages.
Speaking about the new layout, which takes a more minimalist approach compared to previous editions, the show’s boss told FashionNetwork.com: “We wanted to create an Ikea-style traffic flow so that all exhibitors can be noticed more easily. We have some of the most desirable or well-known brands separated and at the same time connecting paths between them created”. Nonetheless, the event offered categorized sections for Affordable Luxury, Womens Commercial, Emerging Designers, Circular Fashion, Footwear, Menswear, Streetwear, Outdoor, Unisex and Beauty. In addition, there was a Peclers Paris section dedicated to trend forecasting and culinary offerings were introduced to enhance the overall attendee experience. This also included the trendy restaurant Mangia.
For Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, the joint specialist event taking place parallel to Copenhagen Fashion Week is a positive development. “It’s a very good initiative for both the industry and our city, as well as for Copenhagen Fashion Week visitors. Logistically, it allows for a more fluid and cohesive experience. This merger will have a very positive impact on our entire fashion industry,” she said in one Conversation with FashionNetwork.com.
Optimism and demanding brands
As for the post-takeover attendee requirements, Dolva explained, “Many of them were concerned about maintaining their usual location alongside other brands, so we tried to cater to their needs while finding a balance. For this first edition our priority was not so much on segmentation as on ensuring high attendance and smooth operation.In the next season we will monitor, collect feedback and data and refine the necessary details.The winter edition of the fair will be from January 31st until February 2, 2024.”
British label Labrum is a regular at London Fashion Week and CIFF, occupying a central stand decorated with an African-inspired sculpture. “I am very happy that I took part, things are getting better with each edition,” assured the brand’s designer and founder, Foday Dumbuya. Possible future synergies with international fashion events are of great interest to him.
This positive outlook was confirmed by established brands such as Japanese outdoor specialist Snow Peak, which set up an outdoor “coffee shop” on the occasion. Brands that were represented at the fair for the first time also shared this assessment, such as the local jewelery company Sorelle or Isnurh, a premium streetwear brand for men founded in 2017. Isnurh’s stand was one of the busiest, having attracted international attention at the last Pitti Uomo.
“We are exhibiting at CIFF for the first time, we used to take part in Revolver. To be honest, the experience was very positive,” said representatives of the Finnish company Marimekko. The brand, known for its vibrant colors and unique prints, had a prominent installation at the show and also appeared with a runway show as part of Copenhagen Fashion Week. Brands such as TG Botanical, Holsweiler, Henrik Vibskov and Helmstedt also organized shows.
Footwear brands like Sebago, Pavement, Buffalo and Steve Madden were also in attendance. The shoe industry was also represented by agencies that have a permanent, year-round showroom on the exhibition grounds. The Bella Center currently works with over 250 showrooms, including the showroom of Norse Fashion Agency, which specializes in the Nordic market and represents labels such as Wushu Ruyi and the Spaniards Bibi Lou, Verbenas and Hoff. “It’s a very popular brand in Sweden,” assured the agency. “The fair was rather quiet, but Hoff came into contact with some very good customers”.
Founded in 2014, Spanish footwear company Verbenas emphasized the importance of combining its presence at the fair with its ongoing work in the permanent showroom. Verbenas has expanded to more than 60 countries and already has more than 200 sales points in the Nordic countries.
Sita Murt, another Spanish brand specializing in premium knitwear, returned to the show after its first participation a decade ago. Their goal was to “explore the Scandinavian markets and accelerate international expansion”. Brand officials were optimistic about the results and the significance of the high attendance, due in part to its strategic location near brands with similar positioning, such as French labels Sessùn and American Vintage.
Booth of skincare brand GreenEtiq – CIFF x Revolver
The beauty space – one of Dolva’s main initiatives since taking office – occupied a bright space previously reserved for men’s brands. Although participation remained modest with around 15 representatives from perfume or skin care brands, several brands such as Bodyologist, Inuacare or Rudolph Care returned after their “interesting results” at the last winter edition. In general, brands celebrated the opportunity the show gave them and the chance to meet international fashion buyers as a first step in connecting with their beauty peers.
Danish brands in New York for the first time
As part of its international expansion, CIFF x Revolver will be making a stop in the Big Apple during New York Fashion Week in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Danish industry association Wear. From September 7th to 9th, the Scandinavian fair will operate a 20 square meter showroom at the Mercer and Grand in New York’s SoHo.
In a spirit of commitment to sustainability, CIFF x Revolver will showcase 12 Danish fashion brands (Hemlstedt, Nynne, Birgitte Herskind, Storm & Marie and A Roege Hove) in the United States, offering womenswear, menswear, shoes and beauty.
In addition, the showroom will feature six US brands selected by the CFDA as sustainability leaders: M. Patmos, Charles Harbison, Melissa Joy Manning, Julia Jentzsch, Jahnkoy and Hope For Flowers.
“Our world has never been more connected, but it has also never demanded more collaboration from us. It is a privilege to work with our friends at CFDA to showcase Danish design creativity and innovation, and it is our responsibility, ours to use a shared voice to drive fundamental positive change to protect the future of the industry that we all love and cherish so much,” said Dolva of the synergies between the events.
“The Scandinavian region has always been a global leader in sustainability. I’m excited about the opportunity to come together in New York with a common purpose and to celebrate what unites us,” she added.
Wear Director Nikolai Klausen also expressed his pride in his country: “We are proud to be a global leader in sustainability, something that is deeply ingrained in the thinking of business leaders and consumers.” He emphasized that the collaboration between US and Danish brands “represents a progressive approach to cross-border collaboration in the fashion industry, offering an opportunity to share experiences and inspire each other”.
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2023-09-06 16:42:45
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