Beyond Our Legacy and Ganni, the Scandi brands of the moment that you need to know
In the last decade, many contemporary fashion brands have emerged out of Copenhagen, with some like Ganni and Rotate achieving international acclaim. This season, Denmark’s capital has also become home to the largest and longest-running trade event in Northern Europe, due to a recent merger between historic trade show CIFF and its competitor Revolver, resulting in a giant exhibition of 650 fashion, lifestyle and beauty brands that drew more than double the number of visitors compared to previous years.
Many of these visitors were Asian buyers, mainly from Japan and Korea, according to Sofie Dolva, Director of CIFF x Revolver. “The Asian market is extremely important to us and has become even more so, given the relative conservatism shown by other markets during Covid-19,” she says.
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The Japanese, Korean and Scandinavian markets have long shared similar approaches to aesthetics and lifestyle. “Even prior to the rise of Nordic fashion, Nordic lifestyle and interior [décor] trends were already gaining significant traction in the Korean market. The distinctive soft minimalism characteristic of Northern Europe resonates well with the clean and sophisticated style that Korean consumers seek,” says Seunghyun Lee, a member of the overseas merchandise strategy team at South Korea’s fashion conglomerate Handsome Corp. “Toteme, Our Legacy and Ganni have recently established mono-brand stores in Korea due to their popularity.”
In Japan, certain Scandinavian designers’ punchy prints and pastel hues have found an audience, according to Noriko Hama, a buyer for luxury department store Beams. “Interest is definitely growing in Japan, thanks to the eye-catching products, pop designs and prints,” she says. “Brands like Ganni and Cecilie Bahsen are very popular.”
Dolva shares that party-ready styles like slinky sequinned dress that are still firmly planted in Scandinavian heritage have also been gaining traction, as international perception of Scandinavian fashion shifts. Emerging designer Nicklas Skovgaard’s theatrical show filled with local textiles and balloon skirts is a testament to how young Danish designers are pushing the boundaries of their region’s established aesthetic.
This season, the CIFF x Revolver fair has also significantly increased the number of beauty brands on display, due to the local and international markets’ heightened demands for clean yet effective wellness products. “Gone are the days when clean beauty used to mean products made from leaves but do not actually work,” says Dolva. “Sustainability and transparency are a basic requirement in the brands we’re showcasing.” Lee shares that Korean interest in vegan and sustainable beauty brands, particularly among Gen Z, is rapidly growing. “This has made room for a variety of new brands, expanding beyond the Korean beauty realm traditionally dominated by established conglomerates,” he says.
Here, we help you get to know eight Scandinavian brands you should definitely have on your radar.
