HOW CIFF IS RETHINKING FASHION FAIRS TODAY

editor ELIANA CASA

Last year, we took a walk in the park with CIFF. One year later, we returned to Copenhagen for its 66th edition, where the Bella Center was transformed into a true supermarket with CIFF Super.

From the moment we entered, the shift felt immediate. Gone was the calm openness of the previous season, replaced by aisles filled with curated products, barcodes, and receipts hinting at an ambiguous sense of value. Beyond the playful metaphor, however, lay a clear reflection of the industry’s current rhythm.

all images courtesy of CIFF

“The fashion industry has become increasingly complex, fast-moving, and layered,” explained CIFF director Sofie Dolva. “Where last year’s theme reflected openness and space for reflection, the supermarket mirrors a reality in which brands, buyers, and consumers navigate constant choice and stimuli. We wanted an environment that felt familiar, slightly provocative, but still curated with intention.” The metaphor extended beyond scenography. For Dolva, the supermarket commented on fashion’s entire ecosystem — overlapping seasons, instant availability, and an audience that is both more informed and more demanding.

“It’s not about celebrating excess,” she said. “It’s about acknowledging reality and responding with stronger curation, storytelling, and context. In a world of abundance, meaning becomes more important.” Within that abundance, CIFF’s strategy became clear: clarity of identity over quantity. Brands selected for the fair — from established names to emerging designers — shared a strong sense of purpose and visual DNA. “In a landscape defined by volume, the brands that resonate are the ones that stand for something,” Dolva noted. “New talents today are defined by relevance and intention, not simply by age or how long they’ve existed.”

This philosophy was most visible in the New Talent Showroom, in collaboration with Copenhagen Fashion Week, where designers emphasized the fair’s role not only as a marketplace but as a connector. Among the emerging voices, Fine Chaos made a striking impression, showcasing alongside Forza Collective and highlighting CIFF’s commitment to supporting fresh, intentional talent.

For Herskind, presenting alongside Copenhagen Fashion Week amplified the fair’s reach.
“CIFF has done amazing work to bring international buyers here,” said Brigitte Herskind.

“It’s an international platform for us,  as a Swedish brand. It helps us get closer to global buyers,” explained Emily from Twist & Tango.

For Forza Collective, presence carried a sense of belonging as much as opportunity.
“The community we have here at Copenhagen Fashion Week and the New Talent area,  unites us,” said Kristoffer Kongshaug shortly after presenting his latest FW26 collection within the CIFF walls.

That sense of connection was also reflected in CIFF’s first-ever collaboration with 10 Corso Como, which traveled from Milan to Copenhagen to curate the fair’s main entrance. More than a simple installation, the 600-square-meter space unfolded as an immersive environment, merging fashion, design, beauty, books, and lifestyle through the concept store’s distinctive cultural lens. Scandinavian designers — including Cecilie Bahnsen, Heliot Emil, and Hodakova — were presented alongside a curated selection of objects, creating a dialogue between Milan and Copenhagen, a meeting point made tangible by the chrome bar at its center. “Both CIFF and 10 Corso Como operate at the intersection of fashion, art, design, and retail, and we share a belief in storytelling, curation, and experience. The alignment was very natural and rooted in a mutual desire to inspire and challenge the traditional fair format,” Dolva concluded.

“I feel proud and encouraged. There’s an appetite for fairs that dare to experiment and reflect the realities of the industry”, Dolva said following the close of the fair.

CIFF Super ultimately presented a paradox: a supermarket designed to slow you down. Visitors were asked to consider value and choose deliberately. If last year offered space to breathe, this season asked a different question: In a world of endless options, what truly stands out?

photos by JEREMY FRENCH