AW25 CPHFW Talk Series – Expanding Horizons: Vital Change Needed in Fashion Inclusivity

Explore how inclusivity is reshaping the fashion industry on and off the runway for a more positively reflective future.

The fashion industry is undergoing a powerful transformation, with inclusivity driving change through design, diverse casting, and authentic storytelling. This talk explores the transformative power of representation, exploring how brands and creatives are breaking barriers to create a more authentic and equitable industry. Hear from panelists who are actively pushing for a future where fashion celebrates every identity, body, and culture. The conversation will look towards actionable steps toward a more inclusive and forward thinking fashion landscape.

Moderator:

Lucy Maguire, Senior Trends Editor, Vogue Business

Lucy Maguire is senior trends editor at Vogue Business. Alongside her focus on fashion consumer trends, digital strategies, and youth culture, Lucy leads the Vogue Business Next-Gen Edit, spotlighting emerging brands and startups across the fashion and beauty industries. She has previously worked with the Vogue Global Network, Suzy Menkes and British Vogue.

Panelists:

Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO, Copenhagen Fashion Week

Cecilie Thorsmark is the CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week. Following Thorsmark’s appointment in 2018 came her announcement to transition the event into a pioneering industry platform and organisation with the capacity to further the industry’s sustainability potential. In January 2020, Thorsmark launched the ambitious three-year action plan “Reinventing Copenhagen Fashion Week” presenting an innovative system of minimum sustainability requirements for all brands on the official show schedule. The system successfully came into effect in 2023, making Copenhagen Fashion Week the first and only fashion week worldwide to introduce a mandatory set of sustainability requirements. In 2022, Thorsmark was inaugurated into The BoF 500, the definitive professional index of the people shaping the $2.4 trillion fashion industry. Prior to joining Copenhagen Fashion Week, Thorsmark held the position of Global Fashion Agenda’s Communication Director for two years, following a six-year tenure at the Danish Fashion Institute.

Aida Sowe, Model & Founder, AISO Official

Aida Sowe began her modeling career in 2015 with a contract in London, which opened doors to opportunities in New York and across Europe. Witnessing the industry’s inner workings inspired her to join the Standard Charter Board in 2023, where she works to advocate for a safer and more inclusive environment for models in Denmark. In 2021, she ventured into entrepreneurship, launching AISO Official—a brand selling alternative bra solutions. Her vision for AISO is to create a truly diverse universe, not just in its campaigns but within the organization as well, fostering inclusivity at every level.

Emma Matell, Casting Director

Emma Matell is one of the industry's most astute, progressive young voices in casting. Hailing from Copenhagen, and based in London, her ethos is guided by a desire to afford visibility to bodies and identities that have historically been absent from prestigious fashion narratives. Ethically conscious and all-encompassing, Emma's work is a testament to her generation & social attitudes, and positions her as a key figure in the introduction of unexpected and radical perspectives on beauty to contemporary fashions visual discourse. Emma regularly collaborates with photographers of the caliber of Sharna Osborne, Harley Weir, John Yuyi & Casper Sejersen.

Mona Mohammed Ali, Founder & CEO, FIIRI agency

Mona Mohammed Ali is a Somali-Scandinavian entrepreneur with a degree in Fashion Design and Marketing from London. After a decade in the fashion industry, she returned to Scandinavia in 2019 to champion diversity and inclusivity. In 2020, she launched FIIRI Agency — the region’s first diverse modeling and inclusive creative agency, rooted in the need for greater racial representation and uplifting BIPOC talents both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Mona was also the first DEI Editor at Vogue Scandinavia, where she worked to create more representation within the Scandinavian fashion industry, redefining what diversity truly means.