Think of a trade show, and I picture an unkempt mass of meandering stalls, incoherent in formation and extensive in their number. Perhaps I’ve been tarnished by buying experiences of times past, because the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF1) is different – in a good way. Intelligently sectioned and forward thinking in their brand selection, the event’s design conjures up a genuine interest and turns you more into a personal customer than a ‘buyer’. This not only helps you to enjoy the experience, but to work more efficiently.
Both men’s and women’s brands are intelligently sectioned under a series of CIFF sub-brands; such as CIFF LAB for the unisex high profile brands and CIFF RAVEN focusing on emerging talent and socially conscious brands with an ethical focus.
Capable of hosting events of 2500 people a day comfortably, the brands are rewarded with ample room to convey their message in any way that they please. What this produces is variety, and with this variety comes interest. What could otherwise be a tedious a long drawn out process, is visually stimulating and as ratifying as a personal shopping experience; you’ve essentially been given insight into the premium retail environment that these brands will feel they belong. And after seeing the brands like this, what buyer could argue? Clever indeed, and just one of many ways that CIFF have got it right.
Going forward CIFF are looking to expand operations on all fronts and literally create a city on the outskirts of Copenhagen – and by city, I do quite literally mean a city. With a combination of apartments, retail spaces and leisure, Kristian W. Andersen (CIFF, Director) has his sights set on developing a creative population where talent can be grown and nurtured.
“We have started the development already with a few houses, but it will take a year or two before you really see form of the city. Seeing as we run art, industrial design and fashion businesses, it would be great to create a panel and identify those who could really do with support, rather than just being part of the tradeshow, but a more longterm solution. Even if we can pick out just one or two talents in each business every year, we can make a real difference. I think that is interesting.”
~ Kristian W. Andersen (CIFF, Director)
The Spring Summer 2017 collections will be shown at CIFF between the 10th-12th AUGUST 2016, so luckily for you, there’s still time to get yourself registered.
Visit CIFF.dk
- Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF) is the leading and most innovative platform in northern Europe, presenting carefully curated areas for premium brands. CIFF first emerged on the Scandinavian fashion scene in 1993 and has since then grown to include CIFF RAVEN, CIFF KIDS, CIFF SHOWROOMS and CIFF SHOES. CIFF presents sharply curated areas within womenswear and menswear, divided into 9 segments; LAB, SLEEK, URBAN, PERFORMANCE, PREMIUM, STYLE SETTERS, STYLE SETTERS BUNGALOWS, FUTURE CLASSICS and ESSENTIALS. ↩
