Fusing commerce and culture: CIFF and 10 Corso Como partner for cultural exchange

CIFF kicked off its 66th edition today with the opening of a collaborative space alongside Italian luxury retailer, 10 Corso Como. The partnership, the first between the Danish fashion fair and an international retailer, marks the beginning of broader cultural cooperation between the duo. At the launch, CIFF director Sofie Dolva confirmed plans to bring a “reverse” pop-up experience of the fair to 10 Corso Como during an event as part of Milan Fashion Week Men’s in June.

A new research platform to promote cultural exchange

The 10 Corso Como exhibition at CIFF – which sits just beyond the fair’s supermarket-inspired entrance, a visualisation of the CIFF Super theme – explores the company’s evolving approach to retail. Its story is explored in a timeline that ebbs and flows through the years of transformation since its inception in 1991. The retailer’s broader cultural impact is then displayed across the walls, showcasing past exhibitions with noted designers, artists and creatives.

Speaking to FashionUnited, Alessio de'Navasques, the cultural programme curator of 10 Corso Como, said the 600 square metre space was designed in order to merge commerce and culture. The decision to specifically work with CIFF and bring the concept to Copenhagen was a natural step in that the similarities between the design aesthetics of Italy and Denmark were seamless.

“What Scandinavian design has in common with Italian culture is the love for beauty, for design,” he added, stating that the collaboration was a “moment of cultural exchange”. “The idea with Sophie is to launch a new research platform, a vibrant project to promote design and Scandinavian culture through beauty and fashion.”

10 Corso Como’s first venture into Copenhagen

At the centre of the space is a display spotlighting a handful of Scandinavian brands selected by the 10 Corso Como team: some the retailer has previously stocked in its Milan flagship store, others it has an interest in partnering with in the near future – among them Cecilie Bahnsen, Hodakova, Rolf Ekroth and Tromborg. Jewellery, books, beauty and 10 Corso Como’s signature collection finalise the display, and bring the exhibition beyond fashion to encapsulate what the retailer offers.

The inclusion of Nordic brands responds to a widening interest in the region’s design aesthetics seen among Italian and 10 Corso Como consumers. Showing at CIFF also serves as a trial for the Milanese retailer, marking its first venture into Copenhagen, having previously explored a presence in the US, Germany, France and Czech.

Valentina Galbiati, the retailer’s visual merchandising manager and brand development manager, said: “We want to learn from this smaller 10 Corso Como ecosystem. The selection of brands links with those we have in 10 Corso Como Milan, and with our philosophy. We don’t stock all of these brands in our store, so this is kind of a test for us.”

Commerce and culture: A new chapter for CIFF

For CIFF, meanwhile, the partnership is just the beginning of what Dolva said will be a broader cultural programme. While the exact form of the fair’s presence at Milan’s June fashion week is still being mapped out, Dolva envisions a new way of connecting creative communities across cities and industries, she said in a speech.

The event has confirmed the participation of Nordic brands Tromborg, Porcelain Perfumery, Obayaty, and Lernberger Stafsing. The focus will be largely centred around beauty, a category that is proving to be increasingly popular among 10 Corso Como consumers, Galbiati noted.

Such a partnership is a notable development for CIFF. It marks the first time the fair is allowing the on-site purchase of products by end consumers, ringing in what it says is a “new chapter for CIFF” as it tests ways of evolving the traditional B2B platform to draw in wider audiences. With 10 Corso Como, Dolva also said that she hopes to highlight how retailers can be present within trade fairs and meet new brands in innovative ways.

“This is a showcase to show both brands and retailers how you can really merge culture, lifestyle, beauty, fashion and immersive experiences, and exchange knowledge between countries and partners,” Dolva added in her opening speech.