Copenhagen takes London at a dinner to celebrate the collaboration between CPHFW and the British Fashion Council

It was a distinctly Danish vibe in Hackney, London yesterday evening. At the restaurant BISTROTHEQUE a second-floor converted warehouse space, the Copenhagen and London fashion scenes converged to celebrate the collaboration between Copenhagen Fashion Week and the British Fashion Council. There was certainly cause for celebration; earlier this year, it was announced that the BFC would adopt CPHFW’s sustainability parameters for its Newgen incubation scheme – a strong statement indicating the BFC’s commitment to an increasingly more sustainable London Fashion Week.

Over two days, BFC and CPHFW strengthened their collaboration, hosting both an open-to-the-public talk series and a fashion show highlighting some of Copenhagen’s brightest talents. The multi-brand show featured the designers of the AW25 class of CPHFW’s NEWTALENT programme – Bonnetje, Alectra Rothschild / Masculina, Berner Kuhl and Stamm – as well as the 2024  Wessel & Vett prize-winner Stem.

Related: The 6 key takeaways from the CPHFW SS26 brand lineup

The partnership is a rare case of two disparate fashion weeks coming together for a greater good – fostering young talent and championing sustainability. In her welcoming speech yesterday evening, CPHFW CEO Cecilie Thorsmark stressed the importance of this sort of collaboration in order to move towards a fashion industry that’s kinder on the planet. “In a world that’s increasingly fragmented, it’s important that we build bridges across boarders and get together to push for change and raise the bar,” she told me over breakfast this morning. The BFC’s recently-appointed CEO Laura Weir echoed Thorsmark’s sentiment. Also representing the BFC at the dinner, Director of Designer Relations and Membership Yvie Hutton.

Over a family-style vegetarian meal of vibrant veggies(a very CPHFW spread – to double down on its sustainability commitment, the fashion week generally serves vegetarian or vegan meals), Danish and British designers came together, breaking sourdough bread and sipping margaritas. It this is the future of fashion, we’re here for it.