The 2025 Wessel & Vett Fashion Prize (WVFP) award presentation, held in Copenhagen on October 23, acknowledged three standout finalists of Nordic designers, including brands MFPEN, NICKLAS SKOVGAARD, and STEL. The 2025 selection builds on an acute focus on more established brands and experienced designers, platforming creatives who possess an original aesthetic, as well as a commercial vision to scale globally. The prize propels the most distinctive voices in Danish fashion and sartorialism onto the international stage, with a mission to canonize Scandinavian artistry.
As an official partner of Copenhagen Fashion Week, of the three finalists, the winner Nicklas Skovgard and his eponymous label have gained exclusive access to a complimentary slot on the official show [fashion week] schedule for both the AW26 and SS27 seasons, including the opening slot for AW26. Also receiving 500,000 DKK ($77,675), Skovgard is well-positioned to expand his operations, including hiring a dedicated sales agent, as he mentioned when questioned about the funding by the judges.
The award was announced in the evening, following the presentations of each, delivered by founder Nina Wedell-Wedellsborg, with the support of the Wessel & Vett Fashion organization, to solidify its role as the Nordic region’s most impactful fashion award, shaping the future of both Danish and global design.
MFPEN by Sigurd Bank, NICKLAS SKOVGAARD, and STEL by Astrid Andersen are all independent ready-to-wear brands that exemplify the current ethos of Danish and Scandinavian fashion. With great regard for the Wessel & Vett prize, their participation is coupled with a platform that is shifting to stronger name brands for the Scandinavian market.
MFPEN is celebrated for its minimalist philosophy and use of deadstock fabrics to create timeless, versatile menswear and womenswear. Designer Sigurd Bank stated the significance of his involvement as a brand with Wessell & Vett, “It [gives] us the chance to elaborate our identity of MFPEN. We’re looking into opening international spaces in the coming seasons.”
Bank describes further the brand’s participation, “MFPEN reflects the idea of creating with intention. It suggests that our designs are not just self-expressive but shaped with a sense of responsibility toward the people who wear them and the world they exist in. This foundation shapes everything from design decisions to how we approach production. It’s about making clothes that feel considered, relevant, and rooted in something deeper than trends.”
Expansion has also been a substantial part of the growth MFPEN has been experiencing. “We decided to start making womenswear since we had unused deadstock fabrics, where the quantities were too low to use in our menswear collections. The translation came very naturally – we always style our men’s collection on women’s, so it felt easy.” Bank further details his obstacles, “I think the biggest challenge is to change the mindset to women’s garments, which needs a completely different approach in terms of fitting, etcetera.”
STEL, launched by Astrid Andersen, focuses on foundational, modular womenswear that bridges the gap between refined tailoring and everyday practicality, crafting garments for real life and movement. Anderson details the obstacles faced when approaching a larger market as a smaller brand operation, “A big challenge we take on as a small brand is working towards a no sale approach and mindset – we believe that style has no end-of-season sale, which is a slower approach to growth and requires patience.
“I believe a foundation of my design approach comes from being trained as a menswear designer, where movement and practicality are a stronghold premise which I feel passionate about applying to STEL from the eyes of a woman designing for women,” she explains. “I explore this via material, fit, and through adjustable elements that enable self-tailoring and securing longevity both in size, fit, and styling in each garment.”
“Finding power and confidence in subtlety is a definition of Scandinavian minimalism to me. I don’t try to redefine the concept; I try to elaborate on this confidence. Explore how the confidence from movement is translated into softly powerful shapes and adjustable fits,” she concludes. The use of supporting objects to uphold structure, STEL garments live in the modular world, as much as it is tailored.
With fabric and form, LVMH prize finalist designer Nicklas Skovgaard is known for his theatrical and innovative womenswear, often fusing hand-woven textiles with technical fabrics to create romantic yet contemporary collections. Skovgard notes of his experience running his brand, “For the past few years, I’ve overseen almost every aspect from design, business, production, and PR myself, with just the support of one team member. While that hands-on approach has helped shape a clear creative identity and deep understanding of the brand’s potential in the market, it’s no longer enough to support the level of international growth I’m aiming for.”
“The prize money would allow me to build a stronger internal team and bring on a dedicated international sales agent,” he remarks. “Someone who truly understands the brand’s creative vision. This support would give me the structure to grow without losing the creative freedom and emotional depth that define the brand and the collections.”
His designs reflect a greater connection to his most vivid memories. “For me, the fabric always comes first. When I start weaving or manipulating an already existing textile, I’m not thinking about a finished garment yet – I’m focused on the texture and how the material behaves once it’s on the body. That process feels very hands-on – tactile and intuitive. I might discover a certain stiffness, stretch, or fluidity that immediately suggests a shape or silhouette.”
“So rather than forcing a fabric into a predefined form, I allow it to guide the design,” Skovgard describes. “I believe this approach creates garments that feel alive – sculptural, but not rigid.”
Skovgaard builds on ideas rooted in his upbringing, inspired by his mother and the queues of childhood memories. “I would describe my brand as being all about contrast. I love mixing references that, on paper, shouldn’t be working together – like baroque portraiture and the energy of ’80s pop culture. Imagine: “Portrait of a Lady” by Van der Weyden from the 1460s playing the lead role in Madonna’s “Lucky Star” music video from 1983.”
This attention to detail has lifted NICKLAS SKOVGARD to the top of Danish fashion and attained global appeal. He notes, “That’s the kind of tension I’m drawn to. I believe, when these references are filtered through my own lens, they become less about literal nostalgia and more about emotion, character, and mood. I’m not interested in recreating the past – I want to reshape the familiar and reimagine it in a way that makes it feel relevant today. That might mean taking a dramatic silhouette and softening it by using a grey jersey melange, or styling a romantic shape so it feels slightly undone – what I sometimes call awkward sophistication.”
Skovgard concludes, “I like to say that my collections are cultivated on the edge of romanticism and realism. I believe that contrast is what makes the garments feel alive – emotional, yet grounded – and ultimately, wearable!”
NICKLAS SKOVGARD was selected by a distinguished jury of global creative and business leaders, who assessed the finalists based on both artistic merit and commercial potential. The jury is uniquely split between a creative panel, which includes figures like Vogue Runway’s Laird Borrelli-Persson and designer Henrik Vibskov, and a business panel, which features executives and founders from brands like Mulberry, GANNI, Eytys, and CPHFW CEO Cecilie Thorsmark. Together, they evaluated originality, craftsmanship, business acumen, and commitment to responsible fashion practices.
Additionally, all three finalists benefit from exposure during the upcoming SS26 season, with one look from each brand showcased on a mannequin at the CPHFW Creative Hub, offering direct access to key press, buyers, and industry professionals. Copenhagen has been growing its market share in fashion as a hub for uniqueness in vision and approach to garment creation.