This brand-new category focuses on the very best of Danish high street brands hitting the trends spot-on and creating gorgeous garments.

The winner will be found this Thursday on May 10th.

It’s so exciting!

To see all nominees, click here.

We have been taking pics regularly from around the block in celebration of spring – and in order to show you our little community at its best, with the threes and flowers in bloom. The birds were chirping. Take our word for it.

Here are our latest from CPH kids’ very own backyard. Notice the one-of-kind playground site, that is now ready to be used – in all it’s glory. As you can see we also have an affection for the sun-dappled old building and green areas in our Carlsberg neighbourhood.

Spring has sprung

on the street we live on.

&  we’re sure summer is just around the corner. See you in August.

Scandinavia’s hotbed of cutting-edge labels pays homage to 1940s’ Hollywood with modern twists on classic styles!

CPH kids and the prestigious English family lifestyle magazine Junior Magazine have engaged in an exclusive media partnership and our CPH kids fashion fair was the starting point. For those of you who might have missed this eight-page spread,  taken by photographer Anders Hald at our fair, have a look below.

In addition, you can look forward to yet another exclusive photo shoot in collaboration with Linda McLean. A result that will be brought in the August issue of Junior Magazine.

To view all of these lovely pics in full color, please visit www.juniormagazine.co.uk

Photography: Anders Hald at Alan Wickes

Fashion: Linda McLean

Styling Ass.: Quinee Balsov

Hair and Grooming: Astrid Fauerby

Clothes courtesy of: Little Duckling,Ígló Kids, Modéerska Huset, Anïve For The Minors, Ebbe, MarMar, Mio My Mio, Sprout by Gro, Pale Cloud and Rockefella

Accessories courtesy of: How to Kiss a Frog, Bisgaard, MP Socks, Petit by Sofie Schnoor, Carmen, Fäfä and Lucky Boy Sunday.

The icelandic brand AS WE GROW is a brand on the up-and-up. They made their debut at our fair in February and we were completely sold by the amazing knits made from natural Alpaca wool, the adorable and forward-thinking colour combinations, not to mention some of the cutest fair-haired models we’ve seen in a long time.

The co-founders of AS WE GROW (all Reykjavík women) are Gréta Hlöðversdóttir and designers María Ólafsdóttir and Guðrún Ragna Sigurjónsdóttir.

The idea behind AS WE GROW started with a sweater that was passed on (and on) for years, and as time wore on the sweater was never … worn out. So far the sweater has had six different owners and still counting. AS WE GROW wanted to create items and knitwear that is just as sustainable (both design- and quality-wise)  as the proverbial sweater.

Their sentiment is that by being able to use a garment for longer than usual you show respect for the manufacturing process and for the environment – creating emotional value by adding history to long-lived pieces.

The design group received an amazing response at the fair (and lots of attention on the fashion blogs) and will be selling their first collection in Reykjavik, Berlin and Copenhagen this fall.

Read more about the story of the travelling sweater, here. 

We hope to see AS WE GROW again at our August fair!

The talented photographer Marie Louise Munkegaard came to work for us during our February fashion fair. Her photo shoot was one worth remembering – with styles by our very own Quinee Balsov. And here’s the outcome…

 Marie Louise has already had oodles of experience. She has taken beautifully candid images of some Danish artists and other photographs – each with a powerful impact. Marie Louise had some interesting new ideas for the photo shoot that took place on Saturday during the fair. Incorporating colours ranging from white, tangerine and delicate pink – she shot these cute models in light, subtle shades using pale tones to achieve this very impressive combination of soft shadows in a somewhat hard light.

An awe-inspiring result!

Check out Marie Louise’s many other photo projects on her website, here.

A very special shout-out hereby goes to CPH kids exhibitor Petit by Sofie Schnoor & the brand Mads Nørgaard x KANSAS for sponsoring these (pictured) T-shirts and jackets for the crew to wear throughout the fair.

PETIT BY SOFIE SCHNOOR

The brand Petit by Sofie Schnoor took off in 2007, triggered by the lack of alternatives to the present-day-typical style of childrens’ clothes with logos, strong colours and extreme patterns. Sofie Schnoor embarked on a journey to create a world of simple and clean-cut collections in softer colours. She has succeeded in making an elegant and classic look for kids and continues to go with her gut feeling when designing.

The Petit collections offen feature dimmed coloured and layered clothing, such as incredible dresses, high-quality woolen jumpers, soft leggings and T-shirts with simili stones. Not to mention a lovely collection of shoes, cute head-bands and pretty knapsacks.  The S/S collection exhibited at our February fair distinguished itself by soft sand- and greyish shades.

For more information visit petitbysofieschnoor.com

MADS NØRGAARD X KANSAS

The rest of our hard-working crew were dressed in this popular thermo-jacket throughout the build-up and execution of the Fair. Danish fashion tycoon Mads Nørgaard’s take on the classic workers-KANSAS jacket, with its signature orange zipper, was kindly sponsored by the team at Mads Nørgaard. It made for a warmer and easier work load – very much in the spirit of the originale KANSAS sentiments.

Read our Mads Nørgaard interview from 2011, here.

Check out madsnorgaard.com,

And read about the history of KANSAS right here.

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!

This British newcomer THAT’S NOT FAIR London had chosen to launch the collection for Autum Winter 2012 at CPH kids this February, a brand clearly representing British heritage with inspiration spanning from Saville Road tailoring to heavy knits from the Highlands. And it was with great pleasure we met with the TNF designers that introduced us to the collection consisting of everything from tights, jeans and t-shirts, to dresses, shirts and outwear, with many classics being given a contemporary twist so you have multiple options from one piece, including jackets with detachable sleeves and beautifully tailored shirts with detachable bow ties and Victorian ruffles. Machine washable wool, traditional gabardine trench coat material and baby fine corduroy are some of the fabrics incorporated in this collection that keep the look sharp whilst withstanding the rough and tumble. The concept in short is to provide high quality and tailormade clothes with all styles available in two price options, depending on fabric and finish. Because excluding children from owning great design -THAT’S NOT FAIR!

When we had a chat with TNF during the trade show they seemed very enthusiastic about exhibiting at CPH kids and said they would definitely be back at CPH kids in August with the coming collection for Spring Summer 2013. And we simply can’t wait to see it!

In my work as a stylist, I get very inspired by traveling. And one of my favourite places is India. I always get so surprised by the way Indians use colours. There are colours everywhere – and even the dirt is red. It’s fascinating and almost overwhelming, how even in the slums you will find doors painted shocking pink or bright blue and women, though very poor, are dressed beautifully intensely coloured saries – red, purple, green or yellow.

The contrasts that exist in India between the beautiful and the ugly, makes me see things from a different perspective.

What also fascinates me are all the small, independent shop keepers, you find on every street corner in every city, big or small. The shoe-makers are sitting, legs crossed, on the pavement working flat on the ground repairing everything from flip flops and sneakers to wedding shoes. It seems like they can fix every type of shoe. Next to the shoe-makers you have the watchmakers and the guys who grind knives. In India the old trades are still in business, whereas in Denmark, they are a dying breed.

I like the idea of going to a specialist to get a personal and qualified service you would only get from someone who is a specialist in their own field. I like it so much more than walking into a big warehouse where I’m just an anonymous customer.

Still, there is a rising trend of small, specialized shops popping up all around Denmark. I so wish, it’s more than a trend. Because, there is nothing more satisfying than visiting and buying something from a shop owner, who is dedicated and passionate about his or her products.

And that’s why, I simply love visiting the tailors and fabric shops in India, where every shop-keeper gives you their full attention and will present their products to you with pride and passion. The same sort of passion I love to experience from the exhibitors at the CPH Kids Fashion Fair.

It increases my creativity and makes me feel much more aware when doing my styles for photo shoots.

I recently came across a beautiful bike for kids. Most kid’s bicycles look the same, in bright colours with some kind of logo-prints and plastic attachments. And rarely do they have an aesthetic appeal. But this bicycle from Velorbis is different. It has the characteristic fat tires, and the classic look you never get tired looking at. The Velorbis bicycle is black, elegant and has the same features you find on a classic “grandma” bicycle. A premium, quality bicycle for sure.

The bicycle is designed and manufactured by a strictly Danish company also called Velorbis. The guys running the company have a passion for excellence, and focus on design and high quality features. And one of the best things, seen from an aesthetic point of view, is that the bicycle has no stickers or plastic components.

The company already has a wide range of Velorbis bicycles for adults out, and this spring the Velorbis bicycle for kids will be in the shops. I’ve been enjoying the comfort of my Velorbis and had the great pleasure of lending the first kids bicycle for the photoshoot for Luna magasin. I just can wait to buy one for my daughter.

Check it out on www.velorbis.com

In my search for trends I found the website trendwatching.com. It offers 12 consumer trend guidelines for 2012 and I find some of the trends quite interesting.

One of the consumer trends is called ‘Dealer-Chic’, a continuing trend from last year thought to increase. ‘Dealer- Chic’ covers the trend of hunting good deals. The dealer-chic’s have no shame in chasing a good deal to a good price – rather it’s a thrill and a skill to be proud off. In US they have Groupon.com to help the dealer-chic’s find good deals. In Denmark, we have websites such as Downtown.dk, Groupon.dk and Sweetdeal.dk, all of which offer a variety of super good deals.

The second trend I find interesting is called ‘Eco-Cycology’. Basically, it’s a trend where companies are taking back used products and recycle them into something constructive. The growing eco-awareness among both consumers and brands and their willingness to find new ways to accomplish a cleaner and more eco-friendly way of living, is hopefully more than just a trend.

The third trend that really caught my attention is called ‘Flawsome’. And this trend suggests that 2012 consumers want their brands to be more humane, meaning that they must show their flaws. Consumers want their favourite brands to be honest about their flaws rather than hide them. Which makes good sense, since none of us consumers consider brands to be flawless, in the first place. A statement from consumers of 2012 could be: ”We want brands that are honest about their flaws, that show empathy, generosity, humility, flexibility, maturity, humour and, dare we say it, character and humanity.”

Read more at http://www.trendwatching.com