‘A catalyst for change’: how sustainable Copenhagen became fashion’s ‘fifth city’

In 20 years, Danish capital’s fashion week has pushed for greener standards and catapulted homegrown talent to global success

When it comes to fashion weeks, there used to be four key cities: New York, London, Milan and Paris. While they remain titleholders, a host of other cities spanning everywhere from Berlin to Seoul and Lagos have been vying for the same recognition in order to become “the fifth fashion week”. But so far only one real winner has emerged: Copenhagen fashion week. On Tuesday, the Danish showcase, which has helped catapult homegrown brands including Ganni into the international spotlight alongside spearheading sustainability initiatives, kicked off the start of its 20th anniversary celebrations.

What began as the merging of two small trade fairs in 2006 has now become a key biannual event on the fashion calendar attracting editors from glossy publications including Vogue, buyers from global luxury stores and influencers who descend in their droves for the street style scene. But back in its infancy in 2006, it was mainly met with scepticism. Cecilie Thorsmark, the chief executive of Copenhagen fashion week (CPHFW), describes the showcase’s founder, Eva Kruse, as “a visionary”. The former Eurowoman magazine editor “set out from the start to make it the fifth fashion week. But she was met with a lot of doubt. People found her vision to be unrealistic. Yet, here we are today”.