Copenhagen Is Calling: 5 Key Trends Paris and London Fashion Buyers Are Backing

Anyone who's familiar with Scandi style knows that it's unashamedly superior when comparing it to French Girl style or Old Money aesthetics. Say what you want about the freezing weather in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, and Finland, but the style set over there knows how to dress. So, it should come as no surprise that, when I flew to Copenhagen at the start of the year to attend one of Europe's largest trade shows, the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, my editor senses were tingling. Finally, I could go to the sartorial source of the well and untap all of the cool girl trends that women elsewhere were surely going to be wearing next season before the regular shopper even knew they were coming.

While attending CIFF was eye-opening as a fashion editor, it's business for buyers from across Europe to head to the trade show to place orders for the season ahead. Think of any retailer—luxury department stores, online shopping giant, or niche Antwerp boutiques—most likely, they were all at CIFF to scope out the best Fall-Winter 2025 trends. "For me, [attending CIFF] is about discovery: meeting inspiring people, immersing myself in new creative universes, and bringing that energy back to Paris," Amaya Jaïs, a women's ready-to-wear buyer for Galeries Lafayette, told Who What Wear. Jaïs, who has been with "Copenhagen has a unique positioning: deeply tied to sustainability, yet never at the expense of desirability. It’s where you find the next wave of talent: brands that are ultra-creative but also incredibly wearable."

CIFF isn’t just a place to seal business deals—it’s a playground for discovering fresh trends and soaking in some serious creative energy. For buyers like Jaïs and Marks & Spencer buyer Jess Kiddie, it’s the perfect mix of work and inspiration, where they can spot the next big thing while also keeping it practical. From sustainability-driven designs to laid-back streetwear that still looks effortlessly cool, CIFF is where fashion's commerce and creativity collide in the best way possible.

"My favorite aspect of Copenhagen fashion is just how effortlessly cool the style feels, particularly the casualwear," Kiddie, a Junior Buyer for the Branded Footwear department at Marks & Spencer, told Who What Wear. Although Kiddie, with 8 years of experience in the shoe world, focuses on sneakers, loafers, boots, and other footwear options, it's hard not to feel an instant connection with the sartorial vibe CIFF brings to the city every January and August. Of course, the things people actually wear to CIFF are nearly as important as the brands they work for. "the most dressed down of looks still look perfectly thrown together. I'm just obsessed with how many cool streetwear brands we came across," Kiddie added.

After chatting with Kiddie, Jaïs, and womenswear buyer Emma Fawcett on my suspicions, they agreed: these 5 trends, spotted everywhere at CIFF, will likely be on every clothing store rack within the next couple of months.

CIFF 64 was a practically a zoo—not only from the sheer amount of vendors who set up camp during the trade show, but also because of the market they were showing. According to Amaya Jaïs, a women's ready-to-wear buyer for Galeries Lafayette, re-imagined animal prints were all the rage for buyers this season. Classic pieces like car coats, mini dresses, and straight-leg denim have all been given the animal farm treatment. If you're not loving a head-to-toe zoo look, Jaïs suggests the printed trend will evolve to be a bit more subtle too, focusing on handbags and accessories for a pop of fun. Jess Kiddie, a junior buyer on the branded footwear team for Marks & Spencer, agrees, calling out the use of cow-print motifs in sneakers and loafers across brands at CIFF.

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Trends in Copenhagen, and Scandinavia at large, wouldn't be complete without mentioning the style set's reliance on classic, cozy knits. Slouchy sweaters and delicate cardigans were abundant at CIFF, and, of course, in-line with the country's sartorial DNA. Emma Fawcett, a buyer for branded Fall/Winter & Accessories at Marks & Spencer, explained that, while knits would always be at CIFF given the Fall-Winter edition of the trade show, she notes that boxy, crewnecks and cardigans were everywhere. Extra trend-forward details, like ornate buttons or powder-blue hues, also made classic knits feel a bit more fresh, according Fawcett, who's an industry veteran with over 9 years of buying experience.

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While the Scandi style set's silhouttes might err on the classic side, their textiles don't. Jackets, bags, and coats and shoes all incorporating interesting textures and kinesthetic elements. Think crushed velvet, shearling, suede, fur, and ponyhair.

"I'm seeing lots of suede & great faux suede across bags, outerwear & footwear in an array of colors from the classic tan to browns, lighter neutrals and back," Fawcett said. According to Jaïs, you shouldn't count out faux fur, either. "It's making a strong comeback, bringing a sense of tactility and boldness to looks," she added.

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Goodbye merlot, hello eggplant. Buyers at CIFF spotted merlot's cooler, edgier cousin, aubergine, across jackets, boots, and leather accessories. "Where burgundy was so popular last season, it seems to have moved on into a deeper aubergine tone which looked super versatile in tailoring separates, knitwear & outerwear," Fawcett explained. There's bonus points in her book for leather egglant-colored accessories and accent pieces like loafers, ballet flats, or handbags.

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Basics, but make them actually fun. Jaïs calls it tailoring with a twist—think exaggerated necklines, too-short pencil skirts, or deconstructed trench-coat capes that, on the surface, look like wardrobe staples, but in reality, they're a bit freaky. " Classic structures are reinvented, featuring bold collar plays or sharp architectural cuts," Jaïs said, perhaps making a reference to one of the vendors at CIFF that often shows on the Copenhagen Fashion Week calendar, Herskind.

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