Stockholm cancels fashion week to explore more sustainable options

New strategy to be revealed later this year

The Swedish Fashion Council has cancelled Stockholm Fashion Week to focus on launching a more sustainable alternative.

Due to take place from 27-29 August, Stockholm Fashion Week has previously showcased the work of designers such as Per Götesson and Lazoschmidl.

However, less than two months before the event the Council has announced it would no longer be hosting the event in its traditional format.

Instead, the Swedish Fashion Council wants to explore alternatives that will help support the development of brands and set new sustainability standards in the industry.

“The Swedish fashion industry is extensive and growing, so it is crucial to support brands in their development of next-generation fashion experiences,” said Jennie Rosen, CEO of the Swedish Fashion Council.

“By doing this we can adapt to new demands, reach sustainability goals and be able to set new standards for fashion.”

Rosen added that the Council is putting “the past to rest” and instead focusing on creating tools and platforms that will help support and prepare the industry for the future.

“Stepping away from the conventional Fashion Week model has been a difficult, but much considered decision,” said Jennie Rosen, CEO of the Swedish Fashion Council.

The announcement follows ongoing conversations surrounding the demise of fashion week and whether its usual format of putting on shows to buyers and the media still makes sense for most brands.

In recent years, the industry has been in a constant state of flux with a string of designers, such as Burberry, Tom Ford and Tommy Hilfiger, choosing to ditch the traditional fashion week model in favour of a “see now, buy now” strategy, in which their runway collections are available to purchase immediately.

Furthermore, the digital era we find ourselves in is now offering young designers more efficient and affordable ways to promote their labels and set themselves apart from the crowd using tools like social media.

As a result, the question as to whether brands, regardless of their size, rely on stage shows and presentations in the same way anymore is more pressing than ever before.

While the future of fashion week as a whole remains in the balance, the Swedish Fashion Council said it plans to reveal its new strategy later this year and will also relaunch its Fashion Talents incubator program which assists emerging brands in developing their business.