Ciff Copenaghen bigger than Cpd Düsseldorf

In August, Copenhagen International Fashion Fair will grow by a further 11 per cent, outdoing the “mother of all fashion fairs”, Cpd in Düsseldorf The 27th Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (CIFF) will be especially memorable when on 10-13 August CIFF can lay claim to being the biggest fashion fair in Europe. In so doing it surpasses its German counterpart, the CPD fashion fair, which describes itself as the “mother of all fairs”. In August, CIFF – seeing a positive trend – passes yet another magical barrier and reaches a size of 40,800 square metres of exhibition space. CPD on the other hand – seeing decline – had 40,082 square metres of exhibition space at its last summer fair according to the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry, AUMA. CIFF’s notable success is partly attributable to the fact that CIFF continues to grow, and partly because of uncertainty about the German trade fair market, where Düsseldorf and Berlin are competing for exhibitors. Since the first CIFF in 1993, the available exhibition area has tripled in size. This August, CIFF will be almost 4,000 square metres bigger than the anniversary fair in August 2005. The 11 per cent increase is due to a growing influx of foreign fashion companies that want to use Copenhagen as a springboard to the Scandinavian market. At the same time, there is considerable pressure from existing exhibitors for more exhibition space so that these companies’ Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish agents are able to serve national customers in Copenhagen. It is a fact that visitor figures from Sweden, Norway and Finland are growing just as quickly as the fair itself. At CIFF in February 2006, the number of visitors from Sweden increased by 14 per cent, from Norway by 46 per cent and from Finland by 49 per cent. The number of visitors from Sweden alone – 4,570 – meant that 15 per cent of the grand visitor total of 30,351 crossed the border to shop for fashion in Copenhagen. The pressure on Bella Center is now evident with halls that are almost completely sold out. There will therefore be a number of reshuffles for the August fair. For example, further space is being created by taking over a restaurant area for exhibiting. Moreover, the Toejeksperten’s purchasing fair is being moved to a new foyer area, thereby making space for a new fashion section, Party & Bride, with about 20 specialist exhibitors. CIFFKIDS SOLD OUT CIFF’s success is particularly marked for fashion for children and teenagers. After just three fairs as an independent fair, CIFFKIDS can report that it is completely sold out. Internationally, the industry has lacked an international forum following the closure of the children’s fashion fair in Cologne, for which reason it has been possible in no time at all to gather 170-180 Danish and international suppliers of fashion for young children and teenagers. In August they will be filling out the 4,500 square metres of exhibition space in Bella Center’s large East Hall. Here, exhibitors of children’s clothes will have their own stage and Internet café and once a day there will be a real trend show with fashion for young children as well as two collection shows. In February, more than 5,600 buyers came to visit CIFFKIDS.