It’s cold, dark, and the snow has become epic in Boston, so where else to go to begin February but Copenhagen, Denmark? It’s true, it is just as cold and even darker in Denmark this time of year. However, Copenhagen has something which Cambridge and Boston doesn’t.
It is the Copenhagen Fashion Week www.copenhagenfashionweek.com. There are typical fashion fair characteristics such as its the in place this week for models and designers to converge from all over Northern Europe and try to out do one another in both excess and self congratulatory back slapping. Fortunately, but there are 2 smaller which are dedicated to kids fashion. Twinkle Star learned about Copenhagen and the fashion shows last year, and we planned to come, but family came first, and ultimately got in the way. So this year, Lucas and his Dad Steve are headed across the Atlantic while leaving Kerri, the 3 kids, and that 5th snowstorm in 5 weeks back in Somerville.
Last year, a kids only fashion show was started and it is called CPH Kids www.cphkids.dk. Not having gone yet, it seems it was created out of a desire to strip down the children’s fashion industry to less glitz and glam, and maintain a more mindful approach to what the point is. The manufacturers who choose to show at CPH rather than the other “big one” www.ciffkids.dk are probably smaller and closer to their roots inspirationally. I am most excited to meet these manufacturers since it’s my expectation that they are going to be closer to the iconoclasts Twinkle Star strives to represent.
Regardless of which show, my expectation will be to see lots of organics and Oeko Tek certified clothes. The European parent’s expectation of what goes on their children is quite a few years ahead of the typical US parent. I think it’s fair to say we all think of “fair trade” and cotton manufactured without harmful substances as a nice add-on, but hardly expect it. I’m eager to see to what extent the European lines have actually started to make it the standard. At CPH in particular I hope to see more playground wear with fun vibrant Scandinavian patterns, and less polyesters and ruffles.
Over at the other show, the really big show which has a section for children’s vendors, www.ciff.dk, my expectation is to see a more traditional, big corporate manufacturing show. However, it is at CIFFkids that I am most excited about finding some of the great winter outerwear such as those incredible Balaclava hats which all the kids in Scandinavia wear. You know, the ones that are like a hood over the head and neck and rest on the shoulders, just below the jacket line. For purely personal reason, I’m also excited to see the CIFF show since it’s mostly adult fashion. It will be clothes, shoes, accessories etc etc. A really nice change from what we usually get to see at the shows Kerri and I have gone to in New York and Las Vegas which are entirely baby and child.
So after breakfast, we are off to Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, then CPH tomorrow. Maybe even an update in between?
