Trade Fair: Denim Première Vision returns to Milan with a focus on innovation and responsible transformation

Denim Première Vision SS27 edition to be dedicated to innovation, creativity,
and responsible transformation in the denim industry. 
Image from Denim Première Vision 

Denim Première Vision - the textile trade fair - returns to Milan’s Superstudio Più this November 26–27, 2025, with an edition dedicated to innovation, creativity, and responsible transformation in the denim industry. Reinforcing its role as an international reference for the entire denim value chain, the show acts as a creative laboratory, gathering iconic names, emerging labels, and textile innovators to share ideas and inspiration. 

This Spring-Summer 2027 edition invites visitors to immerse themselves in the future of denim, through a curated selection of international exhibitors, a conference program, and exclusive creative collaborations. 

Among this year’s highlights, several renowned figures will headline the event. Amy Leverton, international trend forecaster and founder of Denim Dudes, will share her inclusive, modern, and eco-conscious vision of denim culture. A trusted voice in the industry, she has collaborated with brands such as Levi’s, GAP, and H&M.

Supported by the Kering Material Innovation Lab (MIL), a world leader in sustainable textiles, who supports both the group’s iconic houses (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga…) and a new generation of designers in developing responsible creations, S|STYLE - DENIM LAB will showcase the latest projects of 8 rising designers.

Kristian Guerra, Head Designer at 44 Level Group, signs the concept and art direction for the Denim Forum and will share his experimental vision of contemporary denim in an exclusive talk.

Innovation takes center stage with eco-designed materials such as cacao fiber developed by Doors, or bio-based dyes by Chloris Biochem, Emily Gubbay’s circular colour system, cutting-edge technologies, and sustainable processes like Calik’s zero-water dyeing method. Responsible luxury is represented by exhibitors including Geocot, Stylem Takisada, Caitac, and ISKO, who bring exceptional fabrics and high-end creativity to the pursuit of ever more desirable and durable denim.

Over 65 international exhibitors will showcase their SS27 collections, including 60% weavers, 20% garment makers, 6% accessory suppliers, and 5% chemical producers—covering the full denim supply chain. 

Highlights of the show:- 

FASHION DISTRICT

The Fashion District doubles its size to welcome more than 20 ready-to-wear and accessory brands. Rising talents and established labels will unveil exclusive capsule collections co-created with denim exhibitors.

Daily Blue by Adriano Goldschmied, Demiurgo, Emina Batik, Fade Out Label, Gimmi Jeans, Hooded Myv, Kentroy Yearwood, Lucia Chains, Marios, Nik Gallo, Simon Cracker, Stripes Of-F Road, Tmmt Clothing, Victor Hart

S|STYLE - DENIM LAB - supported by Kering Material Innovation Lab (MIL)

Founded in 2020 by Giorgia Cantarini, journalist and stylist, S|STYLE is the independent platform dedicated to emerging creatives who want to work with sustainable criteria. The 2025 edition, in collaboration with KERING MIL, Kering's Material Innovation Lab, focuses on denim and responsible water management, in line with Kering Water's Strategy for a net positive water impact by 2050. As guest of honor, Kering’s MIL partners with 8 brands that will be presented in the Fashion District. — Gerrit Jacob, Gisèle Claudia Ntsama, Institution, Jeanne Friot, Macy Grimshaw, Nadya Dzyak, Phan Dang Hoang and Sia Arnika — to develop projects that merge creativity and sustainability. The exhibition space will feature a site-specific installation created to emphasize the identity and the value of the project. using recycled and denim fabrics, enhancing the designers’ creations.

TREND FORECASTING

Denim specialist Julieta Mercerat (Première Vision) and trend expert Amy Leverton (Denim Dudes) will present the SS27 denim forecast in 2 exclusive season seminars to explore the cultural narratives shaping the future of jeans. Full conference program here.

DENIM INDEX

A brand-new area showcasing over 150 fabric and accessory samples from 30 exhibitors. This curated selection is designed to facilitate material sourcing for jeans production and to provide a clear and immediate overview of the show’s global offer.

DENIM FORUM

Imagined by Kristian Guerra, this forum offers a unique interpretation of SS27 trends through an innovation materials zone and, for the first time, an exhibition of silhouettes created with exhibitors’ fabrics.

SPORTSWEAR INTERNATIONAL - 50 YEARS ANNIVERSARY

The iconic publication celebrates its 50th anniversary with two evening events in collaboration with Denim Première Vision and Pioneer Denim on November 26, on-site.

Technical Outerwear: Allied Feather + Down, NetPlus and Resortecs unveil circular jacket with Peak Performance

The R&D Helium Loop Anorak

Growing awareness of the environmental impact of performance apparel is pushing brands to rethink how technical garments are designed, used and disposed of. As consumers demand products that align with their values—and as regulators move to curb waste and reliance on virgin petrochemicals—circularity has become a strategic priority across the sportswear sector.   High-performance gear, often made from complex combinations of synthetics, insulation and trims, has traditionally been among the hardest to recycle. But advances in materials science, disassembly-friendly construction and take-back systems are enabling companies to design products that maintain performance while remaining suitable for repair, reuse and end-of-life recycling.

Now Swedish outdoor and ski-wear company - Peak Performance - has partnered with a trio of material-innovation firms to develop what the companies describe as a breakthrough in circular design for technical outerwear. 

The R&D Helium Loop Anorak, created with Allied Feather + Down, NetPlus, Pertex and Resortecs, aims to overcome long-standing barriers to recycling multi-material performance garments.

Technical jackets typically combine components such as natural down insulation, nylon shells, zips and elastic trims. This mix has made end-of-life recycling difficult, as the items are hard to separate without labour-intensive processes. The Helium Loop project sets out to demonstrate that products can be engineered from the outset to be disassembled and recycled.

“For years, brands have wanted to introduce more circularity into their products, but the onus has fallen on ingredient partners and start-ups,” said Matthew Betcher, creative director at Allied Feather + Down. “Garments need to be designed for circularity before any sense of recyclability can start to be possible. That’s why we’re excited to work with Peak Performance to build, from the beginning, a truly circular product.”

Each partner contributed a specialist component. Allied supplied 800-fill-power down, which the company describes as renewable, recyclable and biodegradable. NetPlus, a material made from discarded fishing nets collected before they reach the ocean, was transformed into 100% post-consumer recycled nylon yarn. Pertex then wove that yarn into the anorak’s shell and lining. Resortecs provided Smart Stitch, a heat-activated thread that melts during controlled disassembly, allowing the shell fabrics and down insulation to be separated cleanly for recycling.

Designer Marie Andersson said the project shows that circularity and performance need not be at odds. “True circularity isn't about accepting compromises; it’s about engineering garments to be unmade as thoughtfully as they’re made,” she said. “When premium materials meet disassembly-focused design, every component can maintain its highest value across multiple lifecycles.”

David Stover, CEO of Bureo, the company behind NetPlus, said the initiative highlights how alternative materials can reduce reliance on fossil fuels. “Technical outerwear is typically built from crude oil,” he said. “By connecting better materials with thoughtful design, the Peak Performance team explored the challenge of building products suited for end-of-life recycling and helped push the industry transition away from fossil fuel.”

The Helium Loop Anorak remains an R&D project, but its creators hope the approach will influence future commercial product lines and set a model for circular design in high-performance outdoor apparel.

Exhibition Announcement: A Century of Style: Queen Elizabeth II’s Fashion Legacy Celebrated in Historic Buckingham Palace Exhibition

A landmark exhibition celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s enduring influence on British fashion will open at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace in London on 10 April 2026. 

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is set to be the most extensive display of the late monarch’s wardrobe ever staged, featuring around 200 items—half of them making their public debut. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, 4 November via the Royal Collection Trust website.

Queen Elizabeth II on Princess Margaret’s Wedding Day, Cecil Beaton, 1960.
© Cecil Beaton / Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Hat worn for the wedding of Princess Margaret, Claude St Cyr, 1960.© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Paul Bulley

Three leading British designers—Erdem Moralioglu, Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane—will each contribute a piece inspired by the late Queen’s distinctive style. Their works, drawn from previous collections, will be shown alongside related garments from the Queen’s archive. All three designers will also provide reflections for the exhibition’s official publication, Queen Elizabeth II: Fashion and Style, which includes a tribute by Dame Anna Wintour and an essay by Professor Amy de la Haye of the London College of Fashion.

Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said the retrospective would demonstrate the “symbolism, tailoring and British craftsmanship” that defined the Queen’s wardrobe. “We are thrilled to include works by three contemporary designers who have so successfully reinterpreted her style for the present day,” she added.

The exhibition will chart Queen Elizabeth II’s attire across all ten decades of her life, from couture evening gowns to the tailored countrywear that became synonymous with her off-duty style. Many of the garments—now part of the Royal Collection—will be accompanied by original sketches, fabric samples and annotated design drawings, some bearing notes penned by the late Queen herself.

Ensemble worn for the wedding of Princess Margaret, Norman Hartnell, 1960

Highlights include an apple-green Norman Hartnell gown worn at a 1957 state banquet for US President Eisenhower, and the blue crinoline-skirted gown and bolero chosen for Princess Margaret’s wedding in 1960. Items from her private wardrobe will also feature, such as a 1950s Harris tweed jacket and Balmoral tartan skirt, as well as the green coat designed by Angela Kelly and worn in her later years.

Transparent rain coat, worn over a patterned silk day dress and coat, both by Hardy Amies, 1970s.© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Jon Stokes

One of the more unexpected pieces on display is a clear plastic raincoat created by Hardy Amies in the 1960s, considered a precursor to the Queen’s later transparent umbrellas edged in colour to match her outfits. Amies would go on to produce futuristic designs for Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Evening gown by Norman Hartnell, 1957. Worn for a state banquet given for President Eisenhower at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. Here displayed in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. Credit: © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Paul Bulley

A previously unseen Hartnell sketch for a silver lamé dress designed for a 1972 State Visit to France will also be shown, bearing the Queen’s handwritten note indicating that it was later re-worn for the opening of parliament in Canberra—evidence of her long-standing practice of repeating outfits.

The silver lamé beaded shift dress is shown in photo below.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from 10 April to 18 October 2026.

Royal Collection Trust will offer £1 tickets to visitors receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits, alongside concessions for young people aged 18 to 24, as part of its commitment to widening access to the Collection.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style is at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from 10 April to 18 October 2026.

Exhibition Review: Towner Eastbourne presents Impressions in Watercolour: J.M.W. Turner and his Contemporaries

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), better known as J. M. W. Turner, is widely hailed as one of Britain’s greatest and most influential artists. Alongside his celebrated contemporary — and lifelong rival — John Constable, Turner reshaped the course of landscape painting. Born just a year apart, the two came from markedly different backgrounds, yet shared a determination to elevate the landscape genre and redefine how the natural world could be seen.

Joseph Mallord William Turner, Sarner See, c.1844. Private Collection. Photo © Fisheye Images

As Tate Britain prepares to open a major exhibition devoted to these two giants, another institution is marking a significant Turner milestone. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth, the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne, East Sussex, is turning the spotlight not on the oil paintings for which he is best known, but on the medium that shaped his early career and remained central throughout his life: watercolour.

The Towner exhibition, “Impressions in Watercolour: J. M. W. Turner and His Contemporaries”, running until 12 April 2026, brings together an exceptional selection of Turner’s watercolours alongside works by artists from the flourishing British watercolour tradition of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It offers a rare opportunity to see how Turner, even in his youth, pushed watercolour far beyond topographical accuracy towards the atmospheric, luminous effects that would come to define his mature style.

Joseph Mallord William Turner, Mount Pilatus from across the Lake of Lucerne, c.1844.
Private Collection. Photo © Fisheye Images

Turner’s story is one of ambition and relentless curiosity. From modest beginnings, he travelled widely — across Britain and throughout Europe, from the Swiss Alps to the Italian lakes and the banks of the Rhine — seeking dramatic vistas and shifting weather that could challenge and expand his artistic vision. In doing so, he redefined landscape painting as something poetic, emotional and profoundly modern.

J. M. W. Turner’s watercolours are presented alongside those of his notable contemporaries, highlighting Turner at his most experimental and expressive through a selection of his landscape and seascape works.
Photo courtesy of Towner Eastbourne.

Today, Turner remains a cornerstone of British cultural identity — immortalised on the £20 note and revered as the creator of some of the most iconic depictions of sea, sky and light ever painted. The Eastbourne exhibition is a timely reminder that his genius was not forged in oil alone, but also in the shimmering, transparent delicacy of watercolour — the medium through which he first learned to capture the world anew.

Visitors from the South Sussex coastal towns will be delighted to find works depicting familiar landscapes. Turner created many pieces for the Sussex esquire John Fuller (1757–1834), including Pevensey Bay from Crowhurst Park (1816), an etching on paper showing sweeping views over Bexhill — a stone’s throw from Eastbourne — from the elevated vantage point of the Pelham family estate, with the Eastbourne headland visible in the distance.

Joseph Mallord William Turner, A boat near a buoyu in a rough sea, c.1830.
Private Collection. Photo © Fisheye Images

Interpretive notes accompanying the displays highlight Turner’s relationships with other significant artists of the period, whose watercolours — drawn from the Towner Collection — are showcased alongside his own. Their inclusion demonstrates the dynamism of the British watercolour movement during this era.

Among the key figures is John Robert Cozens (1752–1797), a British Romantic watercolourist whose atmospheric style greatly influenced the next generation, including Turner. By 1794, as Cozens’ health declined, his physician and patron Dr Thomas Monro employed young artists such as Thomas Girtin and Turner to copy Cozens’ compositions. Girtin sketched the outlines; Turner washed in the colour and effects. The two young artists, close in age and modest in background, became friends and even shared a studio, though their careers diverged — Turner advancing through the Royal Academy, while Girtin pursued a more commercial path under the tutelage of Edward Dayes (1763–1804). Girtin is often credited, alongside Turner, with transforming watercolour into a medium of grandeur and atmosphere. His Windsor Park and Castle (c. 1796–98), viewed from the Thames, is among the notable works represented.

The exhibition also includes works by Louis Thomas Francia (1772–1839), a French émigré who joined Girtin’s Sketching Society and, upon returning to Calais, tutored the prodigiously talented Richard Parkes Bonington (1802–1828). Other contemporaries represented include David Cox (1783–1859), known for fresh, spontaneous studies and loose, textural brushwork; Peter de Wint (1784–1849), celebrated for his warm, luminous English landscapes; and a strong line-up of later practitioners such as Amy Reeve-Fowkes (1896–1968), Alfred Rich (1856–1921), Albert Goodwin (1845–1932), Frank Dobson (1867–1963), Thomas Bush Hardy (1842–1897), Henry Hine (1811–1895), George Clarkson Stanfield (1828–1878) and Anthony Vandyke Copley Fielding (1787–1855).

From Sussex itself, the exhibition features Harold Swanwick (1866–1929), who settled in the village of Wilmington near Eastbourne and found inspiration in the South Downs and its farming communities. His works sit alongside local scenes from Eastbourne, Alfriston, Seaford and Brighton — images that will charm residents of the south coast.

Also represented is Charles Knight (1901–1990), who lived and worked in Brighton and played a key role in the artistic community of Ditchling. His watercolour style was shaped by John Sell Cotman (1782–1842) of the Norwich School, whose own works, including the highly prized Trees near the River Greta (1805), appear in the exhibition. Cotman’s simplified forms and muted harmonies anticipate modernist sensibilities.

Through this exceptional range of works, the exhibition traces Turner’s artistic development from a topographical draughtsman — producing precise architectural and landscape views, as was common in late 18th-century Britain — to a visionary experimenter. By the 1790s, he was already demonstrating remarkable technical skill, often depicting ruins, castles and sweeping landscapes influenced by picturesque and Romantic ideals. Throughout his career he filled dozens of sketchbooks with watercolour studies, many later serving as the basis for oil paintings. His watercolours of the 1820s and 1830s are widely regarded as his mature period, marked by atmospheric luminosity and techniques — thin washes, wet-on-wet blending, minimal outlines — that anticipated Impressionism. In his later years, his watercolours became increasingly abstract, helping fuel a vibrant British watercolour movement stretching across several generations.

“Impressions in Watercolour: J. M. W. Turner and His Contemporaries” is organised by the Holburne Museum in Bath, which this year published a book of the same name with Pallas Athene, featuring an extended essay by Turner scholar Ian Warrell - curator of the exhibition - examining the works and the artists who shaped Turner’s world.

Many of the pieces on display come from a private collection assembled by Sir Hickman Bacon (1855–1945), a baronet who acquired a remarkable number of Turner’s sketches, helping preserve some of the artist’s most intimate works for posterity.

Towner Eastbourne is hosting a number of events including panel discussions, tours and courses to enhance a deeper experience of the exhibition. 

Photos courtesy of Towner Eastbourne.

Interior Designs: Fiona Howard Unveils New Collection of Dark and Moody Wallpapers

British designer Fiona Howard, celebrated for her hand-drawn patterns and environmentally conscious approach, has launched a new collection of wallpapers inspired by the British coast and countryside. Known for her intricate, nature-inspired designs, Howard continues to champion traditional craftsmanship and sustainability in her latest work.

A rich warm espresso brown colourway of SEALIFE wallpaper in ochre and taupe on a sophisticated coffee brown background. Based on a lino block print design by Fiona Howard this depicts corals, shells, scallops and limpets
swaying softly under the waves.

The collection, produced using the traditional lino block printing technique, features wallpapers created by hand and printed in the UK with eco-friendly inks on sustainably sourced papers. Each design reflects Howard’s dedication to artistry and her belief in the beauty of imperfection.

BIRDSONG wallpaper in Espresso from Fiona Howard - featuring  fresh white blossom and warm ochre tones against a warm coffee coloured background.

WATERLILY wallpaper border in Taupe from Fiona Howard.

As colder months draw in and homes become sanctuaries from the outside world, the designer’s dark and moody palette aims to bring a richer sense of comfort indoors. Deep shades of espresso, inky navy, moss green, plum, and charcoal are combined to create immersive, atmospheric interiors.  From shadowy botanicals to abstract organic motifs, the new range is designed to complement both modern and traditional spaces. Whether used throughout a room or as a striking feature wall, Fiona Howard’s latest designs bring an element of drama, intimacy, and timeless elegance to contemporary interiors.

RADISH wallpaper in Peat, featuring rows of block print radishes in a scallop formation from Fiona Howard. This dark peaty brown wallpaper with contrasting ochre radishes.
Shown here with Radish border (available separately).

“Dark interiors are having a moment because they make us feel safe, grounded, and expressive,” Howard explained. “My aim was to create wallpapers that let you sink into that feeling—where richness and moodiness meet softness and soul.”

WISTERIA wallpaper in Linden from Fiona Howard - a luxury wallpaper featuring pretty white flower trails which enhance a deep rich green background. 

Crafted in Sussex and printed across the UK, the collection maintains Howard’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and artisan quality. Each wallpaper evokes a sense of depth, warmth, and understated luxury, reflecting current trends for tactile, layered textures and natural materials.

A wide selection of the new wallpaper collection available at Fiona Howard Wallpapers.

Images from Fiona Howard Wallpapers

Art Exhibition: Eden Project Marks 25 Years with Landmark Art Exhibition ‘Spirit of the Harvest’ by John Dyer

The Eden Project - the iconic Eco visitor attraction in Cornwall, UK - is currently showcasing Spirit of the Harvest, a major new exhibition by its long-standing Artist in Residence, acclaimed Cornish painter John Dyer. The exhibition celebrates three of the world’s staple food crops — rice, bananas and potatoes — and the global communities who cultivate them.

'Tropical Banana Wildlife Beach, Costa Rica', 35.5 x 35.5 inches acrylic on canvas.
John Dyer Painting of the Caribbean Rainforest.

Running until 9 February 2026, the exhibition marks 25 years of both the Eden Project and Dyer’s residency. It brings together art, ecology and international storytelling in a vibrant exploration of the connections between people, plants and planet.

The entire Link Building between the Rainforest and Mediterranean Biomes has been transformed with deep terracotta walls, creating a striking backdrop for Dyer’s vivid paintings. Alongside each canvas, interpretive panels delve into the botany, cultural heritage and sustainability of these essential crops, aligning the Eden Project’s scientific mission with the expressive power of art.

'Andean Potato Pickers, Amaru, Peru' by John Dyer

“Rice, potatoes and bananas connect every culture on Earth. Painting them for the UN’s Years of Rice and Potato showed me how these crops hold our shared story — where art, people and plants meet.” John Dyer, Artist in Residence, Eden Project

A Global Story in Paint

At the centre of Spirit of the Harvest are four new large-scale paintings, each measuring 35.5 by 35.5 inches, depicting the world’s three principal staple crops. These recent works are displayed alongside earlier plein-air pieces created during Dyer’s expeditions to Peru (2003), Costa Rica (2003 & 2005) and the Philippines (2004) — projects undertaken in collaboration with the Eden Project, the United Nations, and the International Year of Rice and Potato initiatives.

Spanning more than two decades (2003–2025), the exhibition represents a vivid and historically significant body of work that chronicles Dyer’s enduring commitment to portraying humanity’s bond with food, farming and the natural world. The result is a rich, colour-filled visual narrative — a celebration of connection, culture and care at the heart of the global harvest.

For one, the Tropical Banana Wildlife Beach celebrates the lush biodiversity of the Caribbean-coast of Costa Rica, featuring vibrant banana groves, wild sloths, howler monkeys swinging through canopy, toucans perched above neon blossoms, and turquoise sea beyond white sands. Reflecting on small-scale farming and rainforest ecosystems, Dyer applies a radiant palette of emerald greens, sun-lit yellows, deep aquamarines and bursts of scarlet to evoke life, movement and colour. 

Images: John Dyer Gallery

To view the exhibition, click HERE. 

For Collectors - All paintings from Spirit of the Harvest are available exclusively through the John Dyer Gallery, each signed, archived with full provenance and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. Free worldwide delivery is included. Purchasing directly supports Dyer’s ongoing environmental and educational projects.

New Launch: Iluna Group Unveils Sustainable Lace Collection at MarediModa 2025 in Cannes

At this year’s MarediModa fair – the international trade show for beachwear, lingerie, and athleisure fabrics and accessories, held in Cannes from 22 to 24 October – the Iluna Group enticed visitors with the launch of its new lace collection, described as a fluid material that caresses the skin while exuding effortless elegance.

The innovative collection spans stretch laces crafted with ROICA™ EF premium stretch fibre, which contains up to 80% recycled content, and extends to customisable, GRS-certified Lurex nets featuring exclusive prints and flocking. Also showcased were materials composed of up to 99% recycled yarns, including Qnova™ and Renycle™ recycled polyamides — marking a bold step towards a new generation of sustainable and responsible beachwear.

Iluna Group laces, Lurex GRS

Among the highlights, Iluna presented:

Customisable, luminous GRS-certified Lurex mesh fabrics

Exclusive certified printing and flocking finishes

Sustainable fibres such as organic cotton, FSC-certified spun-dyed viscose, recycled polyamides (Qnova™ and Renycle™), and the premium stretch fibre ROICA™ EF, part of the ROICA Eco-Smart™ family.

The collection embodies the new face of beachwear: refined yet environmentally conscious, combining aesthetics, innovation, and respect for the planet. The result, described by Iluna as “a sea to wear”, features light, sensual, and high-performance textures that express allure in every movement and freedom in every wave.

Founded in 1970, the Iluna Group has long been recognised for its excellence, creativity, and responsible innovation in lace manufacturing. A pioneer in redefining lace as a medium of contemporary beauty, Iluna has accompanied women through every stage of life — from intimate lingerie to sophisticated fashion, from activewear to beachwear — offering designs that unite research, elegance, and comfort with a strong commitment to sustainability.

Fashion Recognition: Nicklas Skovgaard wins Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize 2025

Danish designer Nicklas Skovgaard has been named the winner of the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize 2025, the Nordic region’s most prestigious award celebrating emerging fashion entrepreneurs.

Nicklas Skovgaard at the award ceremony receiving his prize from Nina Wedell-Wedellsborg,
Founder of the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize.

Skovgaard receives a cash prize of 500,000 DKK (USD 77,000) and will gain significant exposure through a partnership between the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize and Copenhagen Fashion Week (CFW). The collaboration will provide the designer with communication support and participation in official CFW activities, including the Autumn/Winter 2026 edition, scheduled for 27–30 January 2026.

Celebrating Innovation and Vision

This year’s competition saw Mfpen, Nicklas Skovgaard, and Stel selected as the three finalists, each presenting their collections and business strategies to an international jury of leading fashion professionals. The 2025 edition reinstated the prize’s signature dual-jury format, bringing together both creative and business-focused experts to ensure a comprehensive assessment of each brand’s artistic and commercial strengths.

The creative jury evaluated vision, aesthetics, craftsmanship, and cultural relevance, while the business jury focused on scalability, market potential, and sustainable strategy. The result was a holistic decision that balanced artistry and entrepreneurship.

A Designer Defining Danish Fashion

In his acceptance statement, Skovgaard reflected on his journey and creative philosophy:

“Being a finalist in 2022 was already a huge honour, and winning the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize this year feels like a powerful recognition of how much I’ve grown since then,” he said. “My work has always been about reshaping the familiar and rethinking the nostalgic. This prize motivates me to push further, build a stronger team, and bring my work to a broader audience—while staying true to the emotional and artisanal values that define my brand.”

Jury Praise for a Distinct Creative Voice

Nina Wedell-Wedellsborg, founder of the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize and board member of the Wessel & Vett Foundation, praised Skovgaard’s artistic vision:

“Our winner stood out for a unique and emotionally rich aesthetic that blends theatrical and historical influences with a modern sensibility,” she said. “Through precise construction and a strong sense of form, Skovgaard transforms clothing into storytelling—honest, artistic, and innovative. He represents a bold new voice in Danish design.”

Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, also highlighted the prize’s growing influence:

“The Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize continues to go from strength to strength, celebrating designers who define Danish fashion today. We’re proud to partner with the Wessel & Vett Foundation in supporting emerging talent through CPHFW NEWTALENT.”

A Partnership Supporting Emerging Designers

Since 2022, Copenhagen Fashion Week and the Wessel & Vett Foundation have collaborated through CPHFW NEWTALENT, a talent support scheme providing bursaries and visibility for up-and-coming designers. As Bursary Partner, the Foundation contributes financial support for the brands’ showcases during both the August and February fashion weeks—furthering their shared commitment to fostering creativity and sustainability in Nordic fashion.

About the Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize

Founded in 2012 by the Wessel & Vett Foundation, the Fashion Prize is widely regarded as Scandinavia’s leading independent award for fashion design. It champions innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity, honouring Denmark’s design heritage while nurturing the next generation of fashion leaders.

The Foundation itself carries forward the visionary legacy of Theodor Wessel and Emil Vett, founders of the iconic department store Magasin du Nord. Independent from the store today, the Foundation continues to support cultural and creative initiatives that celebrate Danish craftsmanship and entrepreneurial spirit.