Small talks – big conversations: AW24 Talk Program with Vogue Business

Our AW24 talk series with Vogue Business as media partner make up a vital element of the official schedule each season, representing an opportunity to dig deeper into wider issues facing fashion.

Once again, this AW24 Copenhagen Fashion Week will bring the talk program to a live audience, with a dedicated talk being held each day during the AW24 edition in the Copenhagen Fashion Week Talk hub hosted in the Polestar Space, right in the center of the city. Attendance to the talk program is open to the public and will be on a first come first served basis and will include a 30-minute panel talk followed by a 15-minute Q&A. The talk will activate the global network of Copenhagen Fashion Week, inviting industry leaders from a variety of organizations and practices to speak across the topics at hand.

Furthermore, Copenhagen Fashion Week is excited to announce Vogue Business as an official media partner, who will use their global audience to amplify the reach of the talks that will be launched as podcasts post release.

Vogue Business — Exclusive CPHFW discount

Vogue Business offers a truly global perspective on the fashion industry, exploring how cultural trends and global patterns will impact luxury and creative businesses. Harnessing insights from technologists, trend forecasters, futurists, and innovators, Vogue Business goes beyond the headlines to connect you with the fast-moving fashion and beauty industries. Become a Member today and save 20% on the usual rate with the promo code CPHFW20.

The Power and Urgency of Inclusivity

An exploration into what obstacles the fashion industry continues to face within inclusivity and how can it implement actual and meaningful change.

29 January / 12:00 – 12:45 CET / Polestar Space, Kristen Bernikows Gade 3, Copenhagen

Moderator:

Amelia Hoy, Actor & Activist

Amelia Hoy is an American-Danish actor who works passionately to promote representation while developing Scandinavian performing arts and fashion narratives through expansion and inclusivity.

Panelists:

Ceval Omar, Model

Ceval is the trailblazing talent, model and activist who was one of the first black trans models to work for YSL Beauty, British Vogue and H&M. Somali-Norwegian Ceval is now based in Paris where her days are filled with work for an array of premium fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands that are reflected in her feed. With a big passion for human rights and a strong and important voice for diversity, equality and inclusivity she is spearheading change in a contradictory industry, and she is far from done.

Emma Matell, Casting Director

Emma Matell is one of the industry's most astute, progressive young voices in casting. Hailing from Copenhagen, and based in London, her ethos is guided by a desire to afford visibility to bodies and identities that have historically been absent from prestigious fashion narratives. Ethically conscious and all-encompassing, Emma's work is a testament to her generation & social attitudes, and positions her as a key figure in the introduction of unexpected and radical perspectives on beauty to contemporary fashions visual discourse. Emma regularly collaborates with photographers of the caliber of Sharna Osborne, Harley Weir, Carlijn Jacobs, Estelle Hanania & Liv Liberg.

Sara Fromstein, Director of Belonging & Social Impact, Deciem

Sara Fromstein is the Director of Belonging and Social Impact at Deciem. Over the past decade, Sara has actively embedded inclusivity in the core of organizational culture across various sectors, including beauty, tech, travel, finance, and retail. Driven by a passion for nurturing belonging and championing positive social change through empathetic leadership, she remains steadfast in her commitment to shaping a world where every person can feel seen, heard, and valued. While remaining committed to prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Deciem realized its framework was missing a crucial piece - Belonging. Sara joined Deciem in 2022 As Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Engagement to build Deciem's Belonging Strategy – creating equitable and inclusive spaces for Deciem's teams and the communities it touches. Sara's role has since evolved to include social impact, supporting communities outside of Deciem.

Debunking the Dream: Challenges of Working in the Creative Industry

A dissection of the topics explored in Vogue Business's industry survey 'systemic discrimination, unsustainable lifestyles and widespread burnout culture' and discuss how the fashion industry can change for good.

30 January / 14:00 – 14:45 CET / Polestar Space, Kristen Bernikows Gade 3, Copenhagen

Moderator:

Lucy Maguire, Senior Trends Editor, Vogue Business

Lucy Maguire is senior trends editor at Vogue Business. Alongside her focus on fashion consumer trends, digital strategies and youth culture, Lucy leads the Vogue Business Next-Gen Edit, spotlighting emerging brands and startups across the fashion and beauty industries. She has previously worked with the Vogue Global Network, Suzy Menkes and British Vogue.

Panelists:

Ana Andjelic, Global Chief Brand Officer, Esprit

Ana Andjelic is a brand executive, author of “The Business of Aspiration” and one of Forbes’s The World’s Most Influential CMOs. Ana specializes in building brand-driven modern businesses. Most recently, she led the rebrand of Banana Republic and is now the Chief Brand Officer at ESPRIT. Ana earned her doctorate in sociology and is a widely read columnist, speaker and advisor.

Aram Ostadian-Binai, Founder & CEO, The Soulfuls

Aram Ostadian-Binai is a Copenhagen based social entrepreneur, DEI advocate and branding consultant. She is the Founder and CEO of an award-winning platform The Soulfuls, on a mission to close the opportunity gap for all women. Aram is also winner of Voice Of The Year 2022, and sits as jury member both at Danish Diversity Award and Copenhagen Fashion Week Show Committee.

Daniel Peters, Founder, Fashion Minority Report

Daniel Peters founded The (Fashion) Minority Report exists to create equality within the fashion industry and creative sector for diverse professionals. Peters, a Peckham native, also sits on the Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee at the British Fashion Council, and the Fashion Retail Academy, helping to bring about systemic change relating to inclusion and diversity in the sector.

Robin Douglas, Creative Director, Swedish Fashion Council

Robin Douglas is the Creative Director of Swedish Fashion Council. SFC is an industry organisation that aims to guide the fashion industry into the future, establishing Sweden as the global leader of the industry’s new era. Through SFC’s thought leadership, initiatives and the work with SFC [Incubator], SFC is one of the key players accelerating the transformation of the global fashion industry. Douglas has played a key role in the organization’s dedicated work towards a more diverse and equal fashion industry in Sweden.

Menswear In The Nordics

An exploration into the continued impact and evolution of Nordic menswear design and what is on the horizon.

31 January / 14:00 – 14:45 CET / Polestar Space, Kristen Bernikows Gade 3, Copenhagen

Moderator:

Alec Leach, Author

Alec Leach is an author and strategist in the sustainable fashion space. As a sustainability driven defensor Alec’s work has been published in publications such as GQ, Harper’s Bazars, Dazed, Bof, i-D and The Guardian. With a deep background in the fashion Industry Alec used to be the Digital Fashion Editor at Highsnobiety.

Panelists:

Alan Blond, Co-founder, Sunflower

Having spearheaded production and design for close to two decades for various brands, Alan Blond co-founded Sunflower in 2018, channeling expertise into a commitment to quality and sustainability in every aspect of the brand's vision.

Frederik Berner Kuhl, Founder & Creative Director, Berner Kühl

Frederik Berner Kühl is the designer and founder of his eponymous brand Berner Kühl. Informed by a past in production before moving on to design and a Master’s degree from Polimoda in Firenze, Frederik is striving to convey his vision in ultimate materiality.The brand showcased their first runway collection during CPHFWSS22 and are now stocked in select stores around the world.

Jonathan Hirschfeld, CEO & Co-Founder, EYTYS

With a background in investment banking Hirschfeld co-founded EYTYS together with Max Schiller in 2013. It all started with a desire to break boundaries in footwear design that later grew to also include a range of baggy jeans (2017), followed by a full ready-to-wear collection launched at Paris Fashion Week in 2019.

Silas Adler, Co-founder & Creative Director, Soulland

Silas Adler is a professional skateboarder who is the Creative Director, designer and founder of the Danish skate and lifestyle brand Soulland.

Innovations in the Supply Chain

A discussion on the innovations across the supply chain in the fashion industry and beyond.

1 February / 14:00 – 14:45 CET / Polestar Space, Kristen Bernikows Gade 3, Copenhagen

Moderator:

Emily Chan, Senior Sustainability & Features Editor, British Vogue

Emily Chan is the Senior Sustainability & Features Editor at British Vogue and covers all things related to sustainability in fashion and beyond, from the designers pushing for change to the climate activists we should be paying attention to.

Panelists: Dio Kurazawa, Co-founder, The Bear Scouts

As co-founder of The Bear Scouts, Dio aids manufacturers, brands, retailers in their adoption of responsible practices, dedicating extensive time to research and innovation within the supply chain. With a profound passion and lifelong experience in fashion, Dio advocates for the responsible production of all products. Maybe add: Dio's also serves as advisor to organizations; Copenhagen Fashion Week, Institute of Digital Fashion, Unspun, GANNI and Charter Member of Grammy Award Winning Artist Miguel’s Schedule One Concepts World.

Komal Singh, Color and Materials Design Expert, Polestar

Driven by good design and cutting-edge technology Komal Singh is a Color and Materials Design Expert at Polestar. Together with the team of designers and engineers Komal works towards creating a distinct visual identity for all Polestar cars using sustainable materials. Inspired by the fashion industry, working with forward-thinking companies, and ground breaking materials, Komal believes in making innovation accessible through pure and progressive Scandinavian design. Coming from the National Institute of Design with a bachelors in Design, Fiber, Textile and Weaving Arts, Komal shifted focus to the automotive industry in 2016 working as a designer at Volvo Cars. Officially becoming an employee in May 2021 she has been behind the scenes at Polestar since 2017 where she was closely involved in Polestar 2, Polestar 4 as well as the Polestar Precept and Polestar Electric Roadster Concept.

Maria Estrada, Global Director, Nativa

Maria Estrada has worked in the positioning and development of the Nativa™ brand, from overseeing the creation of compelling farm level storytelling to working directly with final brands on long-term collaborations. Before joining Chargeurs in 2019, Maria was an academic director, an entrepreneur in the fashion business, and also worked for global organizations, based in Uruguay (her home country) and in the UK, including Christie’s in London.

Aleks Gosiewski, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Keels Lab

Aleksandra Gosiewski is the Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Keel Labs, a biomaterials company expanding the potential of the ocean with Kelsun™, a seaweed-based yarn with the highest bio content in the market. Early on in her fashion career, Aleks noticed a common disconnect between brands’ sustainability commitments and implementing them into their business practices. As a systems thinker with a background in economics, Aleks is now bridging that gap by ensuring the responsible sourcing of seaweed and driving R&D operations to scale the production of Kelsun™. In 2022, Aleks was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30, a testament to her passion for transforming the traditional supply chain by creating a greener future for the textile industry.

Beth Esponnette, Co-founder, Board Chair, CPO, Unspun & Creative Director, Vega

Beth is the Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Unspun. When she started in fashion out of college, she quickly felt that she was fueling an industry that was turning precious resources into trash. She wanted to invent a more sustainable and circular way to create fashion and believed that the industry needed a radical shift towards on-demand and additive manufacturing. While studying her masters at Stanford University, Beth founded Unspun and brought in a talented team of co-founders to build the future of fashion.

Copenhagen Fashion Week x GANNI

The power and purpose of the next generation

An exploration of the impact and importance of supporting the emerging creative landscape, the role collaboration must play in the future of fashion, and how innovation in design is opening new opportunities for expression.

1 February / 16:00 – 16:45 CEST / Nikolaj Kunsthal, Nikolaj Plads 10, Copenhagen

Moderator:

Nicole DeMarco, Editor

Panelists:

Ditte Reffstrup, Creative Director, GANNI

Ditte Reffstrup, born in 1977, has been the Creative Director of GANNI since 2007, leading the fashion brand alongside her husband, Nicolaj Reffstrup. With a background in fashion, she initially worked as a buyer for various specialty stores. Based in Copenhagen, Ditte resides with her husband and three children.

Amalie Røge Hove, Designer

With a Master’s Degree in Textile Design from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and years of experience as a knitwear designer for brands including Cecilie Bahnsen and Mark Tan, founder Amalie Røge Hove started A. Roege Hove in 2019—bringing her own vision of knitwear to life, which has been evolving and developing ever since. In 2023 A. Roege Hove was awarded the Karl Lagerfield Award for Innovation at the 2023 International Woolmark Prize- one of the oldest and most respected global awards for emerging talents. Defined by an experimenting and intuitive way of working with traditional knitwear techniques, the brand challenges our perception of shape and pushes our expectations of the materials and their behavior. In 2021 A. Roege Hove won The Wessel & Vett Prize, Scandinavia’s most prestigious and independent award for fashion design. Since then, the brand presented innovative collections during Copenhagen Fashion Week, reviewed by Vogue Runway and supported & featured in Vogue UK, Vogue France, Vogue USA, New York Times, Dazed, Business of Fashion, AnOther Magazine and Vogue Business amongst others.

Sarah Brunnhuber, Weaver, Textile Designer & Founder, Stem

Sarah Brunnhuber is a Copenhagen-based weaver, textile designer and founder of Stem (a zero-waste fashion production system). Her passion is to develop solutions for waste through sustainable textile systems, to spread knowledge and appreciation for the processes and craft behind our garments, and encourage others to engage with more conscious consumption.

Copenhagen Fashion Week x Pandora

Leading with Compassion

A discussion on how to create a more collaborative creative industry by leveraging power for change.

2 February / 11:00 – 11:45 CEST / Polestar Space, Kristen Bernikows Gade 3, Copenhagen

Moderator:

Madeline Fass, Senior Market Editor, Vogue

Panelists:

Jocelyn Corona, Model & Pandora’s Brand Campaign Face

Hailing from the vibrant land of Guadalajara, Mexico, model Jocelyn Corona is the new face for Pandora's brand campaign. When she's not in front of the camera, she embraces her love for traveling, photography, seeing art, clothing design, and exploring different cultures. Beyond the fashion world, Jocelyn dedicates her time to working with organizations to support women and children back in her home country and inspiring others to celebrate their own unique beauty.

Ruxandra Olariu, VP of Innovation, Modern Classics & Services, Pandora

Ruxandra Olariu is the VP of Innovation, Modern Classics collections & Services at Pandora where she focuses on driving brand desirability through consumer-centric product & services innovation. Previous to Pandora she led P&G's Hair Care brands in various local and global roles. Throughout her career, she has acted as a strong change agent with trust and collaboration being at the cornerstones of her professional ethos.

Thora Valdimars & Jeanette Madsen, Creative Directors, Rotate

Rotate is the lovechild of Creative Directors Jeanette Madsen and Thora Valdimarsdottir. The creative duo met while working as fashion editors before partnering with Birger Christensen on founding the Rotate brand. Thora Valdimarsdottir has a background in fashion management from the University of Arts in London which spawned a career in casting direction in the UK before venturing on to become fashion editor and freelance stylist in her hometown of Copenhagen. Jeanette Madsen has a background as a model agent before coming on board as fashion editor at a local magazine. Jeanette later went freelance to work as a digital creative and stylist alongside the launch of rotate.

Veronica D'Souza, Advisor & Serial Entrepreneur

Veronica D’Souza is an award-winning social entrepreneur, designer, speaker and independent advisor. She co-founded CARCEL, a fashion label set-up to create fair employment and education for incarcerated women in Thailand and Peru and Ruby Cup, a menstrual cup company focusing on tackling period poverty for girls in East Africa. Through her independent consultancy GEIST AGENCY she advises global clients on impact and brand narratives. Veronica sits in the Jury of Design to Improve Life Index Award, and is a board member of The Danish Design Council.