Copenhagen's new Mandatory CPH trade fair starts in June

The Danish capital is getting a new trade fair in June. Under the confident name of Mandatory CPH, it will bring Scandinavian and international brands together with buyers.

According to its website, Mandatory CPH will take place from 26 to 28 June at Øksnehallen, an exhibition space in Copenhagen's Vesterbro district. The events itself will bring together around 100 brands for men and women, and responds to the industry's desire to meet early in the buying season, the organising team said in a statement on Friday.

Behind the event is industry veteran Mads Petersen, who has more than 25 years of experience in the fashion industry, including as co-director of the Copenhagen fashion fair CIFF. His partner is Clara Leone, former director of the Revolver Trade Show and the Scandinavian Manifesto by Revolver event at the Italian trade fair Pitti Uomo in Florence.

Appointments instead of a classic trade fair

The new industry event fits skilfully into the international fashion calendar. The Italian men's trade fair Pitti marks the start of the buying season from 11 to 14 June, followed by womenswear trade fairs such as Amsterdam Modefabriek in Amsterdam or Germany's Düsseldorf Ordertage in July. With the end of the Premium fashion fair in Berlin, a space has become available in the fashion calendar after Pitti.

"While Copenhagen Fashion Week plays a leading role with its catwalk shows, presentations and lectures in August, Mandatory CPH is simply a showroom that supports the brands with a platform for retailers earlier in the season," said Petersen, explaining its place in the fashion calendar.

Meanwhile, the upheavals among fashion trade shows have not escaped the founders of Mandatory CPH. The event does not want to be a conventional fashion fair, but instead favours appointments in showrooms to create a more intimate atmosphere, explained Petersen.

The brands announced so far include local Danish labels such as Mfpen, Henrik Vibskov and Hope, as well as international labels such as Missoni and Aspesi.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.DE. Translation and edit by: Rachel Douglass.