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Copenhagen Fashion Week Opens Applications for AW24 Event & Presentation Schedule


Saks Potts wins 2023 Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize; ALPHA Award 2024 finalists revealed

Published on November 02, 2023

Applications are open for the official Event & Presentation schedule until January 27, 2024. Saks Potts wins the 2023 Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize, alongside Copenhagen Fashion Week and the Wessel & Vett Foundation, announcing their continued partnership through the CPHFW NEWTALENT scheme. Furthermore, the ALPHA Award has announced its ten finalists and the winners will be unveiled during the AW24 edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week.

Applications open for AW24 Event & Presentation schedule

Applications are now open to be part of the official Event & Presentation schedule. Deadline to apply is 27 January 2024.

The Event & Presentation schedule will first be released from week commencing November 27, with events, presentations, showrooms, installations, dinners and exhibitions being added up until January 27, 2024. The first release of the Event & Presentation schedule will be announced through the dedicated Copenhagen Fashion Week newsletter and across all social channels, with new additions shared in the lead up to the February edition.

Saks Potts wins Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize 2023

The Wessel & Vett Foundation awarded a grand prize of 300.000 DKK to this year’s winner, Saks Potts. Furthermore, Saks Potts will gain valuable advantages through a partnership between the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize and Copenhagen Fashion Week, which will provide extensive communication and inclusion in official activities and opportunities of Copenhagen Fashion Week.

In a bold and forward-looking step for 2023, the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize is expanding its focus to also include established brands and experienced designers who have demonstrated their entrepreneurial and innovative skills, a decision that reflects the core values of the founders of the Foundation – Theodor Wessel and Emil Vett and their commitment to supporting sustainable brands and a responsible fashion industry.

Last year, Copenhagen Fashion Week and the Wessel & Vett Foundation entered into a partnership via Copenhagen Fashion Week’s talent support scheme, CPHFW NEWTALENT.

With their role as Bursary Partner of CPHFW NEWTALENT, The Wessel & Vett Foundation offers financial support to the brands part of the scheme via bursaries earmarked for their showcases during the August and February editions of Copenhagen Fashion Week. Their investment in emerging talent through their contribution to CPHFW NEWTALENT demonstrates their continued commitment in ensuring a vibrant and innovative future for the fashion industry.

“All of the designers that presented as part of the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize have been almost incomparable, all presenting incredibly strong potential and resonance within their respective brands, but the winner selected today was truly representative of Danish fashion.

Saks Potts has continued to flourish with their signature aesthetic and global community, reflecting their values across the pillars of entrepreneurship, fashion innovation and creativity. This is a big achievement that should be celebrated and recognised but it comes with an obligation to push themselves in sustainability so they can continue to inspire and set new industry standards.” – Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO, Copenhagen Fashion Week.

ALPHA Award 2024 has announced its ten finalists

The ALPHA Award 2024 has announced its ten finalists from a wider pool of applications from Nordic graduates, a panel of international industry experts have selected ten finalists across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden: Alex Luonto, Andreas Bloch, Anni Salonen, Idaliina Friman, Ingrid Pettersson, Kelly Konings, Liana Paberza, Ruusa Vuori, Thelma Rut Gunnarsdóttir and Tilde Herold. The finalists will show their collections at the joint ALPHA show at Copenhagen Fashion Week in January 2024.

“The 2024 edition brings together an exciting group of Nordic talent that balances minimalist tailoring with sculptural shapes, textile experiments and knitwear with digital technology alongside a great awareness of our time. Their command of heritage craft is remarkable, whether it’s knitwear, crochet or textile design, and so are their pattern making skills and use of discarded materials. They approach garment making through meticulous processes of testing, where thoughts on how garments feel and move with and around the body are central. We can’t wait to present their diverse and exceptional collections at the show in Copenhagen,” says ALPHA Director, Ane Lynge-Jorlén. “We’re happy to welcome Iceland into the fold as a new addition for 2024, and not only widening our Nordic reach but also showing more variation of emerging fashion designers from the region,” Lynge-Jorlén adds.

The finalists have been selected by:

  • Ane Lynge-Jorlén, Director, ALPHA, Special Advisor, CPHFW NEWTALENT
  • Anders Sølvsten Thomsen, Fashion Stylist and Art Director
  • Heikki Salonen, Creative Director, MM6 Maison Margiela & Vyner Articles
  • Ida Petersson, Buying Director, Browns Fashion
  • Lutz Huelle, Artistic Director, LUTZ HUELLE & Head of Fashion Design, HEAD Geneva
  • Mariasole Pastori, Talent Acquisition Consultant
  • Olya Kuryshchuk, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, 1Granary
  • Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Talent Curator
  • Youwie Roes, Creative Talent Manager, Eyes on Talents

Senior Writer