Copenhagen Fashion Week: That’s why the Scandinavian fashion week is (rightly) hyped!

Fashion professionals, fashion fans and all of social media are obsessed with the styles and collections of the Scandinavian fashion week. But in addition to the high trend factor that has put the far north on the fashion map, other pretty good factors also play an important role. We have compiled the most important and best reasons for you here Copenhagen fashion week a prime example for all international fashion events.

From January 31 to February 3, 2023, a selection of 30 brands presented their collections here, underneath known greats like Ganni or Stine Goya, but also smaller labels like (D)ivision and Iso.Poetism by Tobias Birk Nielsen (the winner of the Zalando Sustainability Awards in summer 2022). And we are certain: Here in the Danish capital, the future of the fashion industry is definitely already being lived in many areas and initiated in an exemplary manner in others.

3 extremely good reasons why Copenhagen Fashion Week is absolutely worth its hype

1. Pioneer in the topic of sustainability

Copenhagen Fashion Week is known by insiders as “the most sustainable fashion week” for a reason. Because both the organizers and the brands and designers are constantly working to reduce the impact of industry on the environment and to break new ground with innovative means. One of these tools is the annual Sustainability Report. Announced in 2019, a detailed sustainability action plan followed in 2020 with 18 minimum requirements that the participating brands must take into account in their application. These relate to the strategic orientation, the design, the materials (at least 50 percent must be certified, recycled, upcycled or consist of deadstock), fair working conditions and supply chains as well as the behavior of the consumers or the show production. Incidentally, since the summer of 2022 there has also been a general ban on fur. In addition: Diversity and inclusion, especially in management positions, are further benchmarks that are examined in the 58 additional questions, among other things.

2023 is now the first year in which a full implementation of this application process could take place, which is applied taking into account the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals of the EU). But overall, the Copenhagen Fashion Week has dedicated itself to the topic of (holistic) sustainability in a wide variety of areas, with standards that are analyzed and adjusted annually – in order to be able to manage and act in the best possible way. Just as a prime example of how sustainable progress can be actively tackled in the fashion industry. To this end, Copenhagen is in close contact with sustainability experts such as Orsola de Castro (Fashion Revolution), Professor Dilys Williams (Centre for Sustainable Fashion), Katherine Richardson (Professor of Biological Oceanography) and the Copenhagen Fashion Week Sustainability Advisory Board.

In addition, each season the “Zalando Sustainability Award” is presented to an up-and-coming brand that focuses on sustainability in its collection and overall brand identity and is leading the way with innovative approaches.

2. Diversity