About

CPHFW NEWTALENT is a talent support scheme for Nordic emerging brands with less than five years in business.

CPHFW NEWTALENT is established by Copenhagen Fashion Week to nurture, develop, and promote emerging Nordic talent on a global scale. The scheme creates new opportunities for three to five emerging designers per season via monetary support, mentorships, partnership offerings, professional advisors, onboarding to the official Copenhagen Fashion Week Show & Presentation Schedule, event participation, showroom activations, alumni network, and extensive PR through Copenhagen Fashion Week’s international community and channels.

CPHFW NEWTALENT brands will be supported for three consecutive seasons within the CPHFW NEWTALENT scheme. Subsequently each designer will graduate on to the alumni scheme, that will continue supporting the graduates of the CPHFW NEWTALENT scheme across showcasing, events, networking, business support, communication, and sponsorship opportunities.

CPHFW NEWTALENT showroom

During every fashion week, Copenhagen Fashion Week will be hosting a CPHFW NEWTALENT showroom at a central location in Copenhagen.

The purpose of the showroom is to introduce the Nordic and international press and buyer community to a selection of leading emerging designers of the Nordics. Each designer is provided with racks, signage, fitting models and more.

The showroom will be open 2-3 days during fashion week, and exhibit emerging talent part of the scheme, as well as from other highly selected talent initiatives from the Nordic region.

For the AW24 edition, the CPHFW NEWTALENT showroom presented the 4 emerging designers part of CPHFW NEWTALENT, counting Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize finalist 2022 Nicklas Skovgaard, alongside Rolf Ekroth, Alectra Rothschild/Masculina and Stamm represented by Copenhagen Fashion Week. Alongside the designers of the CPHFW NEWTALENT scheme, the showroom included CPHFW NEWTALENT Alumni Latimmier represented by Fashion in Helsinki, as well as CPHFW NEWTALENT One to Watch MLGA represented by ALPHA

For the SS24 edition, the CPHFW NEWTALENT showroom hosted 6 emerging designers, counting Latimmier and P.L.N., represented by CPHFW, Rolf Ekroth represented by CPHFW and ALPHA, Nicklas Skovgaard represented by CPHFW and nominated a finalist of the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize 2022, CPHFW NEWTALENT alumni A. Roege Hove represented by CPHFW and VAIN represented by Fashion in Helsinki.

For the SS23 edition, the CPHFW NEWTALENT showroom hosted 3 emerging designers part of CPHFW NEWTALENT, counting A. Roege Hove, who was awarded winner of the Wessel & Vetts’ Fashion Prize 2021, P.L.N., and Latimmier. Alongside the designers of the CPHFW NEWTALENT scheme, the showroom included Main Nué and Diemonde represented by Swedish Fashion Council and the winner of ALPHA 2015, Rolf Ekroth.

CPHFW NEWTALENT One To Watch

CPHFW NEWTALENT One To Watch is a recognition spotlight granted to a designer or brand with an exceptional creative vision. CPHFW NEWTALENT One To Watch is awarded at the discretion of the Show Committee if they feel a CPHFW NEWTALENT applicant is not fully ready to be enrolled in the CPHFW NEWTALENT scheme but should be supported in their planned activation and brand progression.

Alongside extensive communication by CPHFW, the brand is offered a free presentation slot on either the Official Show & Presentation Schedule or a free event listing on the Event Schedule for showcasing of their collection during fashion week. They are highlighted as a key brand within the CPHFW edition that are representative of the next generation of creative talent.

CPHFW NEWTALENT One To Watch is not a mandatory slot assigned each season - it is dependant upon the level of applications and at the discretion of the Show & Presentation Committee and CPHFW.

For AW24, CPHFW NEWTALENT’s Ones to Watch were MLGA, Martin Quad and Sloth Rousing who held showcases during the February 2024 edition.

For SS24, CPHFW NEWTALENT’s One to Watch was MLGA, who exhibited their work in the Polestar Space every day during the week, as well as held a showcases for industry professionals and community on the second day of the August 2023 edition.

For AW23, CPHFW NEWTALENT’s One to Watch was Alectra Rotchschild, who held a showcases as part of the February 2023 edition.

Mentorship Opportunities

Each of the brands admitted to CPHFW NEWTALENT will be provided sessions with mentors of their own choice. The sessions can be used across all mentors listed below, at the convenience of the brand, and the respective mentor.

Quotes From Our Mentors

Julie Gilhart
“I am honored to serve as a Copenhagen Fashion Week Mentor for another year and be given the opportunity to help discover the next generation of talent. I am continually inspired and propelled by the search and have always believed that the best talent has yet to be discovered. One of my greatest passions lies in fostering new talent, and it’s a privilege to utilize this platform to mentor the next generation of designers in Copenhagen.”

Ida Petersson
“I’ve been so lucky in my career to have had some incredible mentors who, like me, have recognised early on the importance of giving back to our community. These days, my favourite part of my job is the time I get to spend interacting with emerging talent, and helping them on their journey. Having grown up in the south of Sweden—where my love for fashion first began—I went on regular trips to Copenhagen, so it’s extremely rewarding to now play a part in the CPHFW talent support scheme. It feels like I’ve come full circle being here today.”

Clara Cornet
“From the day it launched, Instagram has been the home for fashion and a supporter of emerging designers. Instagram is especially proud to join CPHFW talent support scheme to show our commitment to the future voices of the industry. Finalists will receive dedicated mentorship, so that they may learn how to make the most of Instagram and Meta family of apps.”

Bruce Pask
“It is vital and also inspiring to me personally as well as professionally to support and mentor new and emerging designers and creators. To create and found businesses, collections, and design studios requires numerous and widely varied skill sets in addition to creativity and imagination. It is imperative that those of us with knowledge and experience in any of the areas of the business that can prove to be useful and helpful to those starting ventures are generous with our information and advisement. Creators need to be able to create, and to be able to have as much assistance and information as desired and needed is a great help toward a path of success.”

Mahoro Seward
“Being part of the talent support scheme is a privilege — the Nordic region has such a rich tradition of innovative yet applicable design, and it’s truly exciting to see how that tradition is being interpreted by a generation imbued with perspectives, approaches and values. I strongly believe that, especially in fashion, young designers are where the real potential for the changes we need to see in fashion can be actualised — playing a part in guiding potentially industry-shaping ideas and visions makes my job worth doing.”

Vikram Menon
"I am absolutely honoured and thrilled to joining the CPHFW NEWTALENT Scheme as a mentor, working closely with upcoming Nordic fashion brands. Copenhagen Fashion Week has always been at the forefront of innovation and creativity in the fashion industry, and to be a part of this program is very exciting. I am deeply appreciative of the trust and confidence placed in me to help guide and support the talented designers on the scheme. Mentoring is not just about imparting knowledge but also about fostering growth, nurturing unique voices, and cultivating the next generation of fashion visionaries. I look forward to sharing my experiences, insights, and passion for the industry with these aspiring designers, helping them to stay on top of their business finances."