For those who know it as the "Happiest Fashion Week on Earth," the opening remarks at Copenhagen Fashion Week’s 20th anniversary season sounded like a vibe shift. Addressing a crowd of designers, editors, buyers, influencers, and sustainability advocates packed shoulder-to-shoulder last Monday night, CEO Cecilie Thorsmark didn’t mince words in reference to the state of the industry: "It’s becoming increasingly difficult to navigate," she said, "as if it wasn’t enough already."
Copenhagen Fashion Week started in 2006 with ambitions to become a platform for Danish and Nordic brands to go worldwide. (Becoming a destination for vibrant street style and friendly crowds was a pleasant side-effect.) In the past, labels like Ganni and Cecilie Bahnsen have gained enough momentum to decamp to Paris Fashion Week. Others have built fanbases around distinctive items—a lacy scrunchie, a striped sweater, a fur-trimmed coat—allowing them to nail placement in major retailers.
