“Instagram still acts as a key visual medium for live updates from behind-the-scenes to live from the front row, while street style photography still reigns as a vital communication tool to publications on a global scale,” says Thorsten. The global scale is crucial for brands in Copenhagen to win international wholesale accounts.
For emerging players and burgeoning brands aiming for global success, a show is still crucial for brand building, says designer Stine Goya’s partner and brand CEO Thomas Hertz.
Tipped as the next big Scandi success story, Stine Goya plans to open a London bureau and store this year, based on “huge” success in the UK. The brand declined to share sales but it grew 30 per cent in 2021, reaching 500 stores. “If you want to show people internationally and say “hey! something is happening over here!”, you need a strong platform,” he adds. “A show is the best way to achieve international growth.”
The absence of big names like Ganni has helped “make space” for emerging names, such as A Roege Hove and Jade Cropper, to shine, says Browns buying director Ida Petersson, who buys a host of Scandi brands for the luxury retailer. “It’s also great to see more menswear the last two seasons in Copenhagen, I’m looking forward to the growth of the Nordic menswear industry,” she says.
This season had more international guests than the last, a reason to be jubilant. However, the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF), the biggest trade show in northern Europe that ran in parallel, is taking time to return to normal. “Pre-pandemic, CIFF had 15,000 buyers and guests from around the world attending,” says CIFF’s new CEO Christina Neurstrup. “Now, we’re at about 50 or 60 per cent of that.” CIFF functions as a showroom for local talent and helps local brands, such as Iso Poetism, sell collections internationally.
Leading brands sidestep CPHFW
Some brands might not need the exposure of a show this season. Leading Scandi brand Ganni, a top contender in the Vogue Business Watchlist of growing brands, hit €60 million revenue in 2020. For this season, the brand decided to show a digital music concert with artist Jada for AW22 and host an intimate dinner for select buyers and press at the founders’ home.
