Fashion journalist Zeda reflects on her fifth Copenhagen Fashion Week, arguing that Copenhagen has surpassed the traditional 'big four' fashion weeks to become the most influential event in the industry. She highlights the city's focus on sustainability, inclusivity, and community, showcasing how Copenhagen prioritizes ethical practices and celebrates emerging talent.
Fresh out of her fifth Copenhagen Fashion Week , fashion journalist Zeda explains how Copenhagen kicked ‘the big four’ to become the best week on the fashion calendar.Copenhagen feels like home from the second you step off the plane. I am lucky to have called this Copenhagen Fashion Week AW25 the fifth season in a row that I have attended where I get to enjoy the fun and frills and see all my fashion favourites. There’s something about this particular fashion week that feels different.
While the traditional big four – New York, London, Milan and Paris – offer grandeur, heritage and a sometimes intimidating air of exclusivity, CPHFW is like fashion’s effortlessly cool, sustainably-minded bestie. Every season, it reminds me why I love fashion in the first place: the creativity, the community and the sense of something fresh on the horizon. As an Irish girl and a sincere lover of garments and all its frills, I’ve always admired fashion’s ability to tell stories and connect those who seek it. Yes, Ireland has its own rich history of craftsmanship and design, but growing up, fashion often felt like something that existed in distant capitals, beyond my immediate reach. CPHFW, however, feels accessible in a way that resonates deeply with me. It embraces individuality while fostering a strong sense of collective responsibility, a value I’ve always held close in my own creative journey. Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword in Copenhagen, it’s the foundation of the entire week. Copenhagen’s emphasis on sustainability and inclusivity aligns so deeply with my belief that fashion should be both expressive and ethical. CPHFW is the first major fashion week to implement strict sustainability requirements for all brands on the official schedule. Designers have to meet specific environmental and ethical criteria just to showcase their collections, ensuring that sustainability isn’t an afterthought but an industry standard. In a world where fashion is one of the biggest polluters, they are proving that a better way is possible. Brands like Ganni, Baum und Pferdgarten and Zalando are leading the charge, showing that ethical fashion doesn’t have to sacrifice swag. There’s a natural and genuine ease to the way CPHFW approaches sustainability; never preachy, just intentional and actually fun. From carbon-conscious shows to circular fashion initiatives, it’s an example the rest of the industry needs to follow and already, London Fashion Week is now taking a leaf out of the Danish book for the upcoming season.The Copenhagen street style is simply unmatched elsewhere. It’s a masterclass in balance – bold yet effortless, structured yet fluid, maximalist but never try-hard (trust me on this). There’s a reasoneveryone from the attendees to stylists and models have an innate ability to mix practicality with playfulness. It’s the kind of style that looks good both in a fashion week gallery and on a Lime bike ride through the city (because duh, CPHFW is also the most bike-friendly of all the fashion weeks). This extends to the runways as well. All the designers who show understand how to merge wearability with high fashion. They aren’t just designing for a fantasy world; they’re making clothes that people genuinely want to wear in real life. From Munthe’s outerwear turning the coldest Scandinavian winters into a fashion moment to how Stine Goya makes playful prints feel grown-up. CPHFW is the place to discover rising designers before they go global. Unlike some fashion weeks where emerging talent can get lost in the shuffle, Copenhagen makes space for new voices with initiatives like the NEWTALENT program by leading Danish brand, Ganni. It’s a chance to spotlight up-and-coming brands like STAMM, Berner Kühl and Bonnetje that align with CPHFW’s sustainability goals. The best part of CPHFW is the energy and the joy. There’s a perfect lack of pretension. It feels welcoming, inclusive and less like an industry-exclusive affair. I love that there’s a sense of community. It’s a place where you can sit next to an editor, a content creator or a designer, all sharing the same enthusiasm for what’s happening on the runway. The afterparties feel so organic; they’re fun and laid-back and often involve good food, great music and an emphasis on celebrating creativity rather than status. Copenhagen Fashion Week isn’t just a niche event, it’s truly the future of fashion week. It’s proving that fashion week can be sustainable without sacrificing impact, that emerging designers deserve as much attention as the legacy houses and that style doesn’t have to be serious to be powerful
Copenhagen Fashion Week Sustainability Inclusivity Emerging Designers Copenhagen Street Style Ethical Fashion
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