Borrelli-Persson is looking forward to the return of Danish menswear label Sunflower this season. The brand last showed for SS24. Meanwhile, LVMH Prize semi-finalist Mfpen will host a dinner on Thursday night with US podcast ‘Throwing Fits’, who are long-time fans of the brand and have helped to bolster its business in the States.
“CPHFW has a nice mixture of runway shows, presentations, store events, evening dinners and social gatherings that really create a sense of community among all of the international attendees, as well as the designers and exhibiting talent, inspiring compelling conversations and new introductions that all serve to enrich the experience,” says Pask.
Fresh names, fresh energy
Some fashion councils don’t look favourably on brands exiting the calendar. But CPHFW is taking a different approach to nurturing its talents, even after a break. The New Talent programme welcomes Danish brand Anne Sofie Madsen this season, alongside existing labels Bonnetje and Berner Kühl. This is a second coming for the Danish designer, who initially launched her brand in 2013, before closing it in 2017 and pivoting to other art forms, like illustration and film. “I’m really interested in how we talk about newness in fashion. There is new, new as in emerging talent; and then there is new as in an experienced designer working on something new,” says Borrelli-Persson. “Anne Sofie Madsen is a case in point. Last season’s gem of a presentation didn’t get as much attention as I thought it should have. The designer is part of the New Talent programme this year, [which] should rectify that.”
Similarly, the womenswear design trio behind Freya Dalsjø is returning to the Danish capital after a six-year hiatus, partly for health reasons, with a runway show on Tuesday. And former New Talent designer, dark, subversive label PLN, is making a comeback after a two-year pause to strengthen his business.
“I always check out the new names [in Copenhagen], and especially the brands we already follow that are transitioning to full runway shows,” says Printemps womenswear buyer Mathilde Vanini. “That shift usually says a lot about their growth and ambition. Sometimes, it’s the more low-key shows that leave the strongest impression.”
Of course, runway shows aren’t everything. Zero-waste knitwear label Stem, made-to-order label Taus and vintage-inspired Spanish label Kettel Atelier, will join the Ones to Watch programme, for fledgling brands who receive mentorship and operational support for staging on-schedule presentations.
