Now that the calm has returned to Copenhagen after the trade shows and Fashion Week, we asked Kristian Andersen, chief innovation officer at CIFF, whether there are already more detailed plans for the CIFF Sporting Platform in summer 2020, what feedback he has received for the current January edition and what importance sustainability has taken on at CIFF.
Kristian, at the latest edition of CIFF you introduced the sporting area for the first time. But you have even bigger plans for 2021 with the sporting area. Can you explain what exactly this is all about? And what we can expect?
Yes, and we are not only very excited but also have really amazing plans ahead enforcing the sportswear industry’s presence in Copenhagen at CIFF. First of all, we do not see this new business as a traditional trade show; it belongs to the past. Over the next seasons we will build a sporting platform that both caters to trade–b2b, but even more importantly it’s a platform where brands, key industry brand ambassadors and athletes will be able to connect to a public audience, fans, consumers, professional athletes and amateur sports enthusiasts in powerful and relevant events. In short it’s a direct connection between brands and their existing and new audience. We are able to do this because of the CIFF platform–operation one on the most progressive fashion platforms, and our surrounding city development, where new projects both pop up and permanent facilities with be constructed. First permanent project to open in the Bella Quarter is an amazing basketball court on a rooftop, connected to the CIFF show and the city. Over the coming months and years more projects will be announced. As we will progress with this development it’s an opportunity for brands and fans to connect throughout the whole year–as part of CIFF moving away from traditional formats and becoming a full year partner and service provider to the fashion and sportswear industries. Much, much more to be announced this spring!
What feedback did you have for this trade show edition? How did visitors receive the special project area?
Last show was a pilot and a small-scale introduction to our new focus. The pilot was received overwhelmingly positively by our visitors as there is an incredible focus on sportswear from our fashion retailers, but also in general from the public who had a few options to join us. Both in a dedicated running club–Old Man’s Run Club from New York and a great yoga class with Danish Amanda Nørgaard. This was just a teaser to get started, and August will be an even bigger show, warming up to the launch in August 2021 during both the World Pride and Eurogames taking place in Copenhagen around the same week as CIFF Copenhagen Fashion week.
The issue of sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the fashion industry. Could you imagine dedicating an entire section of the trade fair to this topic alone?
Yes, there is absolute no longer any way to “avoid or escape” from this important topic. Over the last five years CIFF has dedicated both space and resources and helping and promoting brands with a greener agenda working in a more sustainable way. We are launching a new business called C+, a joint venture between Copenhagen Fashion Summit and CIFF–introducing in August 2020 100 second to none innovative solution providers to the fashion and sportswear industry as a very hands on first step in helping and transforming our exhibiting brands towards a greener future. As such we will not label brands in a sustainable area, but we continue to focus on special dedicated projects like last with Lee Jeans Europe. Furthermore we will over the next seasons present the more sustainable brands on a new online order platform in order for the buyers to be able to deep dive into each brand and their efforts.
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