CIFF Reflects the Evolution of the Fashion Industry

Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF), one of the most prominent fashion trade shows in Northern Europe, has taken a new approach to keep the event engaging, educational and meaningful to the constantly changing fashion industry. From 29 January to 31 January 2020, CIFF is enriching their 'Special Project' programme - curated for the third time by MACHINE-A founder, Stavros Karelis, with creative and sustainably-driven initiatives.

Given the very real climate crisis, CIFF is using the Special Project area to explore issues of sustainability in fashion. The fair has collaborated with Lee, the American denim brand, to highlight how brands and consumers can alter the way they relate to old garments; repurposing old clothes helps to address the issues of waste and obsolescence that anguish the industry.

In the Special Project area, there are installations and repair stations for worn garments called A.R.T. (Alter Repair Transform). Collaborators on the Special Project space include Dio Kurazawa, founder of sustainable fashion agency The Bear Scouts, as well as designers Bethany Williams and Duran Lantink - Williams known for her altruistic approach to fashion, and Lantink known for creating garments out of old fabric and other garments, as seen in the SHOWstudio project The Bargain Hunters.

Across A.R.T.’s Special Projects area, activities will include a denim tattoo bar and a mending bar, where jeans will be upcycled and renewed; a private confessional, where visitors can spill some fashion-related tea; and lastly a demonstration area, which will host panel discussions, clothing alteration tutorials and workshops.

Another highlight of this venture is CIFF's partnership with hip hop artist A$AP Nast to support the launch of his Los Angeles-based brand, Pangea. The duo is going to launch its debut collaborative capsule collection, Please Don’t Pet, with a pop-up shop and immersive experience at CIFF for January 2020.

Furthermore, CIFF is creating a new emphasis on sport and activewear with CIFF Sporting, a new dedicated area. In order to embrace the active lifestyle, there will be training sessions during the fair, where all CIFF attendees, as well as anyone who is willing to train with them, will be invited to participate.

For the first time ever, the Special Projects area will be open to the public, who will be able to experience and participate in all the events.

Last but not least, Copenhagen Fashion Summit and CIFF have announced the business space for sustainable innovation, C+, set to launch in August 2020 during Copenhagen Fashion Week. Designed to help fashion businesses of all sizes implement innovative solutions to create more sustainable products, C+ will present approximately 100 solutions across an exhibition and also the stage programming, through panels focusing on sustainable solutions.

'Creating direct connections between fashion brands and innovative solutions aligns well with our mission to mobilise and guide the fashion industry to take bold and urgent action on sustainability,' says Eva Kruse, CEO, Global Fashion Agenda, organiser of Copenhagen Fashion Summit.