From Copenhagen to Paris: CIFF launches showroom during fashion week

The Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF) is expanding its international strategy by establishing a permanent presence in Paris for the first time. During the upcoming Paris Fashion Week in June, the trade fair will open a curated showroom in the city's Le Marais district, as announced by organisers on Tuesday. Spanning three floors, the space will present 15 to 20 selected international brands. The line-up will include names such as Rains, Opéra Sport and Woodbird.

“Brands are now expected to be present in multiple markets and at different times. With CIFF Paris, we are creating a format that ensures greater continuity and closer collaboration with our community,” explained CIFF director Sofie Dolva.

Format to ensure visibility

With the new CIFF Paris format, the trade fair aims to expand its role beyond the traditional platform in Copenhagen, providing stronger year-round support for brands. The focus is on continuous engagement with the community and more flexible support across different markets and sales contexts. According to the director, the goal is to develop a platform that supports brands across various markets while allowing for new formats as the industry evolves.

She also highlighted the growing challenges for brands during Paris Fashion Week, particularly concerning independent showroom structures. Competition for attention, buyer visits and footfall is high, increasingly requiring collective solutions to ensure visibility.

“A presence during Paris Fashion Week has always been a key focus for the majority of Nordic and international brands. At the same time, operating independently in the city, whether established or emerging, presents a significant challenge. Standing out in such a competitive environment, capturing the attention of buyers and ultimately driving traffic to a single showroom requires both scale and collective reach,” she said.

CIFF to ensure footfall in Paris showroom

The CIFF Paris format will feature a carefully curated environment with internationally invited buyers and selected media representatives. The guest list will be compiled in close collaboration with participating brands to bring together relevant contacts from various markets. The concept is complemented by local partners who will help ensure consistent footfall in the showroom.

Various networking and content formats are planned to accompany the showroom. These include Nordic Breakfasts; Aperitivo events in collaboration with the Copenhagen project Art of the Refill; and special editions of the CIFF media podcast “On Location” with Fashion Forum. To launch the first edition, CIFF will also host an exclusive dinner in Paris to encourage networking between brands and industry professionals.

The Paris format joins a series of international activities by the organisation. These include several seasons as part of the Scandinavian Manifesto during Pitti Uomo in Florence; a joint showroom with the CFDA during New York Fashion Week; and the planned collaboration in June with the Milanese concept 10 Corso Como.