Dontt: How fashion brands turned Copenhagen into part of Fashion Week
by Dontt, August 2026.
Every August, Copenhagen Fashion Week transforms the Danish capital into one of Europe’s most influential fashion destinations. But today’s fashion week is about far more than runway shows and new collections.
Increasingly, the city itself has become part of the programme, as brands compete to create memorable experiences that live well beyond the catwalk.
For an industry that is one of Denmark’s strongest export sectors, these activations are more than clever marketing. They are an opportunity to build cultural relevance, strengthen brand identity and connect with audiences from around the world.
Here are four brand experiences that caught our attention during this season’s Copenhagen Fashion Week.
From trade fair to cultural hub
For years, CIFF was known primarily as Scandinavia’s leading fashion trade show. That remains true today. But under the leadership of Sofie Dolva, it has evolved into something much broader, a platform that inspires, builds communities and increasingly helps shape the wider conversation around fashion.
This season, CIFF extended its presence well beyond the halls of the Bella Center, hosting events, media productions and partnerships across Copenhagen that made it an integral part of the city’s Fashion Week programme.
Among the week’s highlights was the opening event hosted together with PARAISO Miami Swim Week and ELLE Denmark, introducing an international selection of leisure and swimwear brands as part of CIFF’s growing focus on new categories. Another was the early-morning run organised with Boozt, reflecting the fair’s expanding interest in activewear, wellness and the lifestyle increasingly associated with today’s fashion brands.
CIFF is no longer just a place where collections are bought and sold. It has become a platform for ideas, conversations and cultural exchange, one that plays an increasingly important role in shaping both Copenhagen Fashion Week and the city around it.
