This was only the second edition of CPH Kids in Copenhagen but it was a surprisingly assured and well thought-out show. The ample size of the hall afforded exhibitors a large area to showcase their merchandise, as well as extra event space for guest speakers, a charity stall where old season's merchandise was sold to help the Børnehjælpsdagen Danish children's charity and a photoshoot corner where we shot preview pictures for next summer with our favourite Danish photographer Anders Hald.
The trends evident split between the traditional Scandinavian companies such as Katvig and Smafolk with their bold simple graphic shapes, inspired by traditional Seventies' patterns in contrasting primary shades, and the avante-garde, more modern companies, such as Popupshop and Soft Gallery, who embody a cooler vibe with grey sweats and T-shirts, leggings and shorts.
Soft Gallery in particular showed a delicate colour scheme with peach, grey and lemon shades and intricate embroidered details featuring owls and sweet picturebook style illustrations. Tiny floral Liberty prints were still popular, often formed into all-in-one playsuits and baggy zouave trousers or loose and floaty tops with ruffled edges and front decorations. Strong labels here were Christina Rohde, Sprout by Gro and Petit by Sophie Schnoor.
For boys, the cardigan seems the indispensable must-have for next summer, often worn with nautical stripes or teamed with bleached patterned jeans, such as those at Mini Rodini, or the Hawaiian shirts of Molo Kids. Most labels seem to be concentrating on a consolidation of their signature styles, refining and editing collections to the items that sell and work well for the current market, introducing small changes rather than full-scale trend changes each season.
Ethical companies are an expanding part of the market, too. Shoe styles were split between the casual Converse, loafer and ballet pumps available in a huge spectrum of colours and the newer gladiator sandals styles in soft earth tones and metallic leathers. I loved the bookstore in the corner of the fair too, where not only all the books were for sale but also all the vintage shop fittings and display toys. So sweet.
