COPENHAGEN, Denmark — At a time shaped by downturns across the retail and luxury fashion segments, global consumers are seeking exciting alternatives to satiate their shopping habits. Denmark has been a catalyst for such initiatives across the Nordic region, chief among them CIFF: the fair that returned to the Bella Centre with a bold new edition celebrating creativity found in the quotidian.
Part of the ongoing City series, this season reimagined one of the most familiar parts of modern life: the supermarket. Inspired by retail culture’s visual language — shelves as galleries, barcodes as art, and receipts as poetry — CIFF SUPER transformed commerce into culture and turned design into daily life.
“This season, the beauty of the barcode becomes a cultural code,” opined CIFF’s creative team. “A receipt reads like a verse: a small piece of everyday poetry, printed and passed between hands. Packaging becomes the building block of creativity.”
CIFF 2026
For its Fall edition, CIFF deepened its collaboration with Copenhagen Fashion Week, once again hosting the NEW TALENT showroom in a newly expanded and elevated area within the main fair. This season’s lineup included names such as OpéraSPORT, CMMN SWDN, MKDT Studio, Herskind, and newcomer Forza Collective, who presented their runway show from the fair’s space during fashion week. Together, they represented the next generation of Nordic design, rooted in craftsmanship and artistic clarity.
Also of note: CIFF, Northern Europe’s leading fashion trade event, announced a strategic partnership with Delogue to launch TechCreate, a CIFF initiative bridging the gap between fashion and technology. The collaboration marked a long-term commitment to spotlight innovation, not just during the CIFF fair in January, but through ongoing digital activations, including a webinar on November 26 and a dedicated CIFF Media series rolling out through spring 2026.
CIFF 2026
A new arena for fashion technology, “TechCreate — a CIFF collaboration,” debuted at CIFF 66, held January 27–29, 2026, in Copenhagen. The new area united fashion brands and technology providers in a dynamic shared space, showcasing how digital tools, sustainability data, and workflow optimisation are redefining the industry’s creative and commercial processes.
The initiative was developed in collaboration with Delogue, a Danish-born tech company whose PLM platform has become a key operational backbone for global fashion and lifestyle brands, alongside leading tech partners including tex.tracer, TRIMIT, E-SCM, and Fashion Cloud. Together, these companies represent a powerful ecosystem driving transparency, connectivity, and innovation across the entire fashion value chain.
By integrating technology and storytelling directly into CIFF’s physical and digital universe, “TechCreate – a CIFF collaboration” sought to inspire both established and emerging brands to evolve through data, design, and collaboration.
The collaboration between CIFF and Delogue was built around shared values of transparency, innovation, and education. Together, they aim to redefine the fashion industry’s understanding of technology – not as an external tool, but as an integrated part of creativity and sustainability.
CIFF 2026
SOFIE DOLVA, DIRECTOR
“The theme for the Fall 2026 season was a modern take on the 1990s supermarket, because we always like to weave in a sense of humour blended with commercial aspects. A supermarket might not be particularly appealing, but you need to go there out of necessity. So we really tried to see the beautiful poetry of the receipts and play around with it. A fair is set up like a supermarket, where you have the milk and the butter all the way at the back. That’s how we approached it conceptually.
One of the highlights for us this season was our collaboration with 10 Corso Como, for which we curated a concept spotlighting Nordic designers: a 600-square-metre space dedicated to beauty, lifestyle, and fashion. For retailers, we wanted to bring inspiration and excitement — not just racks. We worked closely with many of our brands to better showcase their DNA and create more immersive experiences.
Another highlight this season was our expanded area with Copenhagen Fashion Week, where we positioned our contemporary brands in a more showroom-like setting. Of course, we also featured many of the same strong commercial brands. We hosted live podcasts and live streaming to create a benchmark for engaging the end consumer.
CIFF 2026
Sixty percent of the brands we showcased were from the Nordics, which was also reflected in our traffic numbers. We also saw increasing attendance from Southern European countries. This season, we were somewhat hesitant about budgets, but through our guest programme, we worked hard to bring in more buyers from emerging markets such as Belgium and the Netherlands. Germany remained a major focus, as did the Middle East, given its strong capital economy.
The major shift this season was that we moved beyond being a traditional trade fair — simply an order platform where brands present collections and write orders — to something more comprehensive. We became a 360-degree partner.
Looking ahead, we strongly believe in continuing to grow in that direction, planning strategically with brands years in advance so that we can act as a consultancy platform. We aim to support marketing teams, e-commerce teams, and commercial teams to accelerate their businesses — not just through a trade platform. Our hope is to build more pillars to our business beyond the traditional trade fair model.”
CIFF 2026
BRANDS SPOTLIGHT
Among the brands presented in this edition, Won Hundred — a Copenhagen-based fashion brand founded in 2004 by Nikolaj Nielsen — stands out within Scandinavian fashion. Rooted in denim and strong craftsmanship, the brand focuses on producing high-quality garments across ready-to-wear collections and denim assortments for both women and men.
Staying true to timeless classics with a slouchy, tactile feel is Annarr, whose collections are based on a “one wardrobe” design philosophy. This approach results in a purposeful edit of tomorrow’s essentials, balancing contemporary tailoring with the spirit of streetwear and workwear.
Each garment is designed with functionality in mind and offers countless styling possibilities, allowing consumers to maximise their wardrobe. With four carefully curated collections released each year, the label maintains a sharp focus on timelessness, innovation, and enduring design, helping customers build wardrobes that transcend traditional seasons.
CIFF 2026
A similar philosophy resonates with Woodbird, a label bridging Scandinavian and Asian cultures, channeling vibrant street expressions from Hong Kong and merging them with a casual Danish interpretation. The result is a design language shaped by contrast — detailed yet simple, expressive yet effortless.
That same simplicity carries through Organic Basics’ manifesto. The label offers everyday essentials and intimates designed to feel good, fit well, and adapt to any direction life takes. Versatile by design and intentional in every detail, it presents an eclectic yet purposeful range of styles.
CIFF 2026
SPECIAL PROJECTS
CIFF and Milan’s 10 Corso Como announced their collaboration with a fully reimagined entrance experience for CIFF 66. This marked the first time the Milanese concept store brought its iconic universe to Copenhagen.
The partnership took shape as a 600-square-metre curated environment at the entrance of CIFF, merging fashion, design, beauty, books, and lifestyle through the gallery’s distinct artistic lens. The space highlighted a selection of Scandinavian brands chosen by the team, presented alongside the 10 Corso Como Signature Collection and an immersive café experience, all reinterpreted within a Nordic context.
The project represents an expansion of the store’s long-standing commitment to cultural cross-pollination. “We are excited to introduce our world to the Copenhagen creative community,” said Tiziana Fausti, President of 10 Corso Como. “Scandinavia has a unique design language, and presenting these brands within the 10 Corso Como narrative creates a new and inspiring dialogue.”
The collaboration between CIFF and 10 Corso Como marks the beginning of a broader cultural partnership aimed at laying the foundations for cross-disciplinary programming extending beyond the January edition. 10 Corso Como’s first appearance at CIFF is the beginning of a series of initiatives designed to enhance cultural exchange and industry innovation.
As the fair continues to reinforce its role as a global stage for creativity, strengthening ties with leading international institutions remains pivotal.
by Chidozie Obasi