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Under the patronage of the Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, the recently concluded Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2012 brought together leading figures from the fashion and textile industry who pursue a common vision of eco-friendly and sustainable business. Once again a huge success, the event—with an impressive roster of speakers and the presence of designers from 27 different countries—drew an enthusiastic crowd representing more than a thousand companies worldwide.
Prominent economists and politicians joined officers from world-class firms to take an active part in seminars on exploring innovative ways for the global high-end textile and fashion industry to tackle today’s environmental challenges. The summit focused particular attention on how to involve and engage end users in sustainable consumption.
Organized by the Danish Fashion Institute for Nordic Fashion Association (NFA, which also includes Helsinki Design Week, Icelandic Fashion Council, Oslo Fashion Week and the Swedish Fashion Council) this year’s event benefited equally from valuable cooperation on the part of C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity, Lifestyle And Sustainable Synergy), an international forum set in motion by Giusy Bettoni to promote the development of green products and business plans in the fashion and design sphere.
The Copenhagen Fashion Summit, where Italian delegates played an important role, culminated on May 3 with a runway show competition featuring fifteen Scandinavian brands. The contestants sent down the catwalk a series of eco-glam creations in 100 percent Italian textiles and materials made available by C.L.A.S.S. To the winner—Danish fashion designer Susanne Rützou—went two prestigious awards: the White Award, from the eponymous tradeshow that (every season during Milan Fashion Week) exhibits high glam Italian and international brands; and the Newlife™ Honorable Mention, from Newlife, the Miroglio Group’s technological textile platform. Both White and Newlife are C.L.A.S.S. partners.
The Fashion Summit has also become a special stage set for the elegant display of couture marking the partnership between the Green Carpet Challenge and Giusy Bettoni of C.L.A.S.S. While the former is the project spearheaded by Livia Firth and British journalist Lucy Siegle to get stars to grace the world’s most spectacular red carpets in nature-friendly gowns, Giusy Bettoni makes every effort to provide top fashion designers with the necessary environmentally ethical materials. On the arm of her husband, Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth, Livia stole the show at the Golden Globe and Academy Awards ceremonies in her stunning Giorgio Armani and Valentino creations made from eco-friendly fabrics.