Since its relatively recent inception in the mid-2000s, Copenhagen Fashion Week has come a long way. Now unofficially dubbed “fashion’s fifth city” – after the “Big Four” parade of fashion weeks across New York, London, Milan and Paris, of course – the Danish capital hosts hordes of buyers, editors and influencers biannually, many of whom come from far away to admire and learn from the trendy new brands that this tiny design powerhouse continues to churn out season after season. {"@context":"https://schema.
org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Han Kjøbenhavn at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Photo: James Cochrane","url":"https://img.i-scmp.
com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/12/d4a9e61a-35f8-43ad-835e-02a24c1214af_dda704a3.jpg"} Han Kjøbenhavn at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Photo: James Cochrane Among the myriad reasons for Copenhagen’s rapid emergence as a fashion capital, three stand out.
First is its accessibility – unlike the largely luxury-only schedules that define Milan and Paris, Copenhagen is well-known for its mix of high fashion and the high street. There is a focus on introducing brands that, beyond affordability, also help foster a more welcoming and inclusive environment, encouraging up-and-coming designers to take creative risks. Second is the sustainability factor – while local success stories like Ganni have largely led the way when it comes to inspiring younger brands how to reuse and.