Copenhagen Fashion Week teams up with Ukrainian Fashion Week

Copenhagen Fashion Week has kicked off its spring/summer 2023 showcase today, August 9, and announced a partnership with Ukrainian Fashion Week to “uplift a fellow fashion organisation in times of war”.

To support Ukrainian fashion designers as the war with Russia continues, Copenhagen Fashion Week will be showcasing a digital fashion film from Coat by Katya Silchenko and host a physical presentation from sustainable clothing TG Botanical brands as part of the official schedule.

Cecilie Thorsmark, chief executive of Copenhagen Fashion Week, said in a statement: “In light of the atrocities we have borne witness to on the nation of Ukraine, any support we can present to the Ukrainian fashion industry is vital to the preservation of their own creative ecosystem that has been so cruelly threatened.

“We are excited to present the Coat and TG Botanical as part of our fashion week and welcome their brands and creative expressions as one of our own. This partnership we have cultivated with the Ukrainian Fashion Week is based upon the notion that all fashion organisations must show respect and support to one another, in times of darkness and the unknown.”

Copenhagen Fashion Week SS23 kicks off

2022 marks the 25th anniversary of Ukrainian Fashion Week, and while numerous projects lined up to celebrate, these have been halted due to the severe war that erupted through Russia’s invasion. To support its designers during these difficult times, the fashion organisation has launched the ‘Support Ukrainian Fashion’ Initiative to reinforce Ukrainian designers and ensure presenting of their new collections on the international catwalks.

Iryna Danylevska, founder and chief executive of Ukrainian Fashion Week, added: “For now, fashion weeks in 9 countries support Ukrainian designers and Ukrainian Fashion Week in this extremely difficult and tragic time. The 51st UFW season will become international.

“We are deeply thankful to Copenhagen Fashion Week for your support of Ukrainian brands the Coat by Katya Silchenko and TG Botanical this season. We hope that your kind gesture of assistance now will also lay the foundation for our future fruitful partnerships. Fashion has an exceptional power to stand for human rights, diversity and freedom. Today, fashion shows humanity and support.”

What to look out for at Copenhagen Fashion Week spring/summer 2023

Copenhagen Fashion Week’s SS23 season runs until August 12 and features 36 designers with a focus on emerging talent, menswear, sustainability and Nordic brands. This includes its new emerging designer incubator ‘CPHFW NewTalent’ showcasing A. Roege Hove, Latimmier and P.L.N., alongsided OperaSport, who are joining the schedule for the first time.

The schedule also has a number of menswear designers, with Berner Kühl and Sunflower returning to the schedule alongside Soulland, Martin Asbjørn, Schnayderman's and Wood Wood, and last season's Zalando Sustainability Award winner, Iso.Poetism by Tobias Birk Nielsen.

The new Zalando Sustainability Award winner will be announced on August 11 with finalist’s British fashion brand Raeburn, Parisian-based Mworks, and London/Reykjavík-based design studio Ranra showcasing their latest collections. The winning designer will receive 20,000 euros and the chance to develop an exclusive capsule collection with the e-commerce brand.

Other highlights will include the best of the Nordics, with Ganni, Saks Potts, Helmstedt, Rotate, Skall Studio, Stine Goya, Hope, Baum und Pferdgarten, Lovechild 1979, Gestuz, Munthe, Rabens Saloner, Samsøe Samsøe, Remain and Rotate all presenting as part of the official schedule.