Crown Princess Mary as Patron of Copenhagen International Fashion Fair (2005-2013)


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Our news in Australia is saying Prss Mary has been voted most stylish royal by one of the media in the UK. To me she looks stylish and elegant without trying too hard. Kudos must go to her stylist Anja, who has done such a good job over so many years. But then she has a good figure to work with.
 
 
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Summary of articles in Billed Bladet #33, 2013.
Written by Karina Didriksen & Ulrik Ulriksen.

Mary was pretty busy during the CIFF, attending three fashion shows in a day.
Shortly after the Baum und Pferdgarten's show had started, at 17.20, a black Range Rover from PET parked close to the rear entrance and out went Mary, wearing a pale blue, partially see-through dress. Mary wasn't expected to attend so her arrival was a bit of a surprise.

Prior to that she had attended the MI-No-Ro fashion show, and seen a number of people from the jetset in Copenhagen, among them her good friend, Jean Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, walk the catwalk.

After the Baum und Pferdgarten show, Mary gave her friends, Julie Mølsgaard and Anja Alaidi a lift in the PET car and went on to a third show, this time by Bruuns Bazaar at 18.30.
Sitting between her two friends Mary watched the show and stayed on little after for a reception in that yard, where she chatted with another friend, Ellen Hillingsø.
Mary said before going home: "I think it was a very grand show and there was a lot of really beautiful clothes.
It's inspirering what the Danish designers have to offer in the coming seasons".

But Mary was officially present at a fourth show as well, at the Bella Centre. To be exact the trend exibition, Dansk Direction.
Being ten minutes late she was recieved by a flowergirl in the shape of nine year old Alberte Helmersen, who was sporting a neat pony tail.
There was plenty to look at and it was a Crown Princess who had been inspired who talked with our style-reporter Ulrik Ulriksen afterwards: "I always find that it inspires me to come to the fashion fair. It's a hard bussines with a slow growth (*) but there is a good optimism amongst all I have visited today. The environment and the designs I have seen are very innovative and inspirering. I don't know whether I can emphasize anything special among all the good (stuff/things) I have seen today. But there are always some clothes you can see yourself in". (**)

Mary stayed for a little less than an hour, meeting several she knew in the designers circles, among them Benedikte Utzon (yes, she's related to the architect), whom Mary greeted with: "Hi, Benedikte".

The dotted dress Mary wore is by Signe Bøgelund-Jensen.

(*) Interesting. I read an article in a business paper that the Danish fashion industry was doing well, having conquered new markets.

(**) A sentence so familiar to all married men at the brink of exhaustion who have patiently trotted after their delighted wives through store after store for three hours!
And you can't get away, because your exalted wife have your hand in a vice like grip and even though I weigh, weighed, almost twice as much as her, she can nevertheless at the sight of a couple of shoes on the other side of a street and with a yank of her hand drag me after her across the street, hanging horisontal in the air!
 
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Roskilde said:
Two more pretty nice pictures of Mary, attending The Fashion Week, taken by Hasse Ferrold

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pLG_US_0pWI/UgOszODKvTI/AAAAAAAANz4/Rf5B4Tc-LKk/s1600/!+KRONPRINSESSE+MARY+p%C3%A5+vej+til+MODEshow+NIMB+80813+eftermiddag+FOTO+HASSE+FERROLD+5a.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xiw7dI8NU...B+80813+eftermiddag+FOTO+HASSE+FERROLD+4a.jpg


And here's more pictures where I notice Ellen Hillingsøe on Mary's left side

http://images.supportingservices.dk/image/168ebf1d517247318335d2d634fa2039-1-original-620-500.jpg

http://distilleryimage8.ak.instagram.com/0d7d4db0004711e3895a22000a1fc66c_7.jpg
Click to expand...

beautiful mary! she looks gorgeous and only even more in real life. hope i will see her someday again :)
and yes it is ellen hilligsøe. you can also see margrethe vestager :)
 
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MaggieDenmark said:
beautiful mary! she looks gorgeous and only even more in real life. hope i will see her someday again :)
and yes it is ellen hilligsøe. you can also see margrethe vestager :)
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Margrethe Vestager was there too? Good grief, poor Mary should have worn garlic around her neck for her protection.
Hopefully Mary maintained some distance at the reception afterwards, to avoid being stepped on by Vestager's hooves.

Margrethe Vestager is Radical and if that isn't bad enough, also the de facto Prime Minister in DK.
 
I always meant to put this information here but I kept forgetting.

CP Mary is no longer patron of CIFF.

Here is the updated list of her patronages on the DRF's website: Under Mode, there is only the patronage for Designer's Nest.
H.K.H. Kronprinsessen - Kongehuset

I also confirmed this information with the Danish court and received the following response back in January of this year.

Thanks for your inquiry. We can confirm that HRH The Crown Princess is no longer the patron of CIFF.

Yours sincerely,


Anne Grethe Hoeffner
Secretary to the Chief of the Court
Click to expand...
 
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Wow that's great that you got a reply. I think Mary has been busy in other years on overseas trips around this time, perhaps this is why. Maybe the CIFF dates clashed too much with her other duties.
 
Wow - this is news to me! What made you wonder & inform, Terri? Wasn't Mary present this year?

Somehow it seems odd to me. Fashion do is an important image for DK & a fairly large industry I guess. So I wonder why she gave it up? Does anyone think she's working on a more queen like image for the future? (Not that I think that's necessary, she's doing great).

Hannelore
 
I think the reason why this patronage ended is simply the development of CIFF.
In 2004 the whole event was called CIFF and consisted of 2 fairs: the big international fair and the small "cphvision" fair. So Mary became patron of CIFF and of the Designers Nest Award (which is part of cphvision).
Over the years the event got bigger and is now called Copenhagen Fashion Week, with 4 big fairs: CIFF, CIFF Kids, cphvision and gallery.
Mary used to visit and promote all 4 fairs although she was actually the patron of only one of them.
Now she is the patron of the Designers Nest Show & Award. So she is still involved with the Copenhagen Fashion Week but focusing on the promotion of young design students/new designers. She was also the patron of the sustainable fashion event in spring, so she is still quite involved with fashion.

I think Mary will go on visiting shows during the Cph Fashion Weeks in the future (when she happens to be in DK at the time), just not as a patron.
And because of what I just wrote about CIFF I doubt that Marie is going to replace her.
 
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rchainho said:
Is marie going to replace her?
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I think that it isn't a good idea. For me Marie havn't good sense of style and she like black pants very much... not fashionable when somebody wears it again and again. But it's only my opinion.
 
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This is most interesting!

Afsløret i at overdrive besøgstal: Mary har trukket sig fra modemesse - Royale | www.bt.dk

Mary has pulled out as patron for the CIFF at the Bella Centre. The official reason is that the court "will ensure that she has a role that will support the fashion industry more broadly".
In itself that's an unusual step.

However Berlingske Business, which must be considered very serious and reliable, has recently revealed that CIFF has inflated the number of visitors, from 11.500 to 20.000.
- In other words they lied. Not only to the public and the court, but also to sponsers, advertizing agencies, public funding and others who might be interested. In the business world reliabillity and credibillity is everything - especially when you get the royal seal in the form of a DRF patron.

The manager at CIFF, Kristian Andersen says: "We miss her, but she has not had an any influence on our business, she has been the icing on the cake.
It's been a great pleasure for me to show the Crown Princess around at the fair when she's been here and I'm sure I'll meet her again elsewhere".

Mary has declined to comment further on the matter.

You can read the details here: Modeugen fabrikerer nyt skønmaleri - Detailhandel | www.business.dk
In fact inflating the figures has been consistent for several years and despite the management, when found out, stating it was a mistake and they would ensure the right figures will be published.
- I guess we can now expect the CIFF to deflate...

ADDED: The origial article from Berlingske about Mary pulling out: http://www.business.dk/detailhandel/kronprinsessen-traekker-sig-fra-modemessen
That took place in August 2014, shortly after it was revealed for the first time that the figures had been inflated.

Berlingske also writes that the fair has been marred (in recent years at least) by mismanagement and internal squabble.

Mary will not pull out as patron for Designers Nest though.
-------------------------------------------

Follow up.

Another BT article about Mary ditching CIFF: Eksperter om Mary-exit: Kongehuset vil undgå skandale - Danmark | www.bt.dk

The "experts" Lars Hovbakke Sørensen and Trine Villemann has commented. And I find myself in the novel situation of actually agreeing with Villemann! Lars Hovbakke Sørensen is serious.

Trine Villemann says: "It's very unusual and it happens very rarely that the royals drop their protections. Usually they do it when they become elderly, but with a crown princess in her prime it is very unusual and it is difinetely a signal that Mary and Amalienborg (the court) will not tolerate that mess".

Lars Hovbakke Sørensen adds: "It's clearly inappropriate for the royals to be entangled in this and that's probably part the reason why they pull out, even though it will naturally not be the official explanation they will offer. It would hurt their reputation if they were linked to such a case.
I think it's been a good decision to pull out from the protection, because if the DR is to be the rallying point of the people , then it's importatnt that there can be cast no doubt of the things they are involved with".

Trine Villemann: "I often think they make poor decisions in the royal chambers but this choice is absolutely correct. A royal house and a crown princess cannot be the figurehead for such a mess.
The Crown Princess is a fashion icon and she is time and time again named as the best dressed by various magazines, so it's a loss (for CIFF) of prestige but also over time a loss in regards to money/revenue".
 
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Trine said that? Guess she figured out which side her bread was buttered on...
 
Terri Terri said:
Thank you Muhler!

Back in August 2014, I posted in the CIFF thread (post #431) that I had received a response from the Danish court in January 2014 that CP Mary was no longer patron of CIFF. So, I think CP Mary had dropped the patronage since late last year.

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...tional-fashion-fair-2005-2014-a-14384-22.html
Click to expand...

You are welcome. :)

Yes, Mary pulled out on 1st October 2013. A little more than a month after it had been revealed that the figures of individual visitors had been "accidentally" inflated.
 
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A follow up on Mary dropping CIFF.
This is meant to be mostly for those who wish to have a serious insight into what this is all about.

Two articles from Berlingske Business:
Politikere ønsker modeuge kulegravet - Detailhandel | www.business.dk
This about the local politicians in Copenhagen being up in arms after it has come out that CIFF continued to inflate the figures after it was first revealed. CIFF have recieved a very considerable funding from Copenhagen municipality.
Seems like the court lost faith very early on and pulled the plug. - Perhaps a "one-breach-of-trust-and-you're-out-policy"?

The second is more interesting for this forum: Få kongelige protektioner tilbage for dansk erhvervsliv - Økonomi | www.business.dk
It's based on Berlingske's political commentater, Thomas Larsen, who has previously written books about the DRF and his assessment.
It is that the DRF and certainly Mary is withdrawing herself from protections regarding specific parts of Danish commerce and industry, while still very much supporting Danish commerce and export in general. Instead, again Mary in particular, now focus more on having protections in connection with social issues.

- Probably a wise move since there have been some critizism that the DRF is too close with the business sector. Now it will be more difficult accusing the DRF for nepotism.
 
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As the article you posted states CIFF was actually the only business-related patronage of Mary, the exception rather than the rule. The focus always was on social issues.
And I don't see anything wrong if one member of the RF focuses on one business sector while other members focus on other sectors. It is good though that Mary stepped out if the CIFF management has done something unethical.

But as long as a prince is turned into a millionaire by big business companies (I know, I know, just "best friends") and his wife then opens a new store for one of these companies while officially being on a "social visit" the accusation of nepotism will IMO never be far away.
 
ricarda said:
As the article you posted states CIFF was actually the only business-related patronage of Mary, the exception rather than the rule. The focus always was on social issues.
And I don't see anything wrong if one member of the RF focuses on one business sector while other members focus on other sectors. It is good though that Mary stepped out if the CIFF management has done something unethical.

But as long as a prince is turned into a millionaire by big business companies (I know, I know, just "best friends") and his wife then opens a new store for one of these companies while officially being on a "social visit" the accusation of nepotism will IMO never be far away.
Click to expand...

An interesting post. - I don't understand what the highlighted section is in reference to, could you perhaps explain?

Ole Lyngaard, Sydney, in October 2013, with Mary opening the shop?

If that's what you're referring to, I totally agree. Many eyebrows were raised with that, well, at least with people who took notice of any of it.

I think Mary dropping CFF is a PR move in a bid to get the future queen seemingly less fashion conscious. As for royals being interested in social issues; they must appear to be doing something, really. It's great to be generous and kind when it doesn't cost you a dime, and the press even give you a halo for that!
 
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redtulip said:
An interesting post. - I don't understand what the highlighted section is in reference to, could you perhaps explain?
Click to expand...
Prince Joachim selling Schackenborg to rich friends/companies?
 
ricarda said:
As the article you posted states CIFF was actually the only business-related patronage of Mary, the exception rather than the rule. The focus always was on social issues.
And I don't see anything wrong if one member of the RF focuses on one business sector while other members focus on other sectors. It is good though that Mary stepped out if the CIFF management has done something unethical.

But as long as a prince is turned into a millionaire by big business companies (I know, I know, just "best friends") and his wife then opens a new store for one of these companies while officially being on a "social visit" the accusation of nepotism will IMO never be far away.
Click to expand...

You are presumably referring to Joachim and our Marie?
Yes, even being a win-win-deal for all involved, including Joachim's creditors and, not least, employees if was nevertheless critisized.
Either because people think he ought to have gone bankrupt before giving up Schackenborg or didn't bother to have a closer look at the issue. The downside of this is of course that Joachim used his network and thus owe them a favour in return.
But that the DRF, or for that matter most royals, return a favour that's a well-known thing.

redtulip said:
Ole Lyngaard, Sydney, in October 2013, with Mary opening the shop?

If that's what you're referring to, I totally agree. Many eyebrows were raised with that, well, at least with people who took notice of any of it.

I think Mary dropping CFF is a PR move in a bid to get the future queen seemingly less fashion conscious. As for royals being interested in social issues; they must appear to be doing something, really. It's great to be generous and kind when it doesn't cost you a dime, and the press even give you a halo for that!
Click to expand...

I think you are mistaken here. Mary no longer needs to distance herself from the fashion industry. She has for years proven that she is more than fashion-princess and that she is very much involved in social issues.
There are a number of proir cases of the DRF ditching a protection (that's admitteldy rare) or a business (an by appointment to the Royal Danish Court badge) if that business has been caught doing something unethical. So as far as I see it, this is merely a continuation of that policy.
 
redtulip said:
Ole Lyngaard, Sydney, in October 2013, with Mary opening the shop?

If that's what you're referring to, I totally agree. Many eyebrows were raised with that, well, at least with people who took notice of any of it.
Click to expand...
Did Ole Lyngaard turn Frederik into a millionaire? No.
As others guessed rightly I was referring to Prince Joachim.

To open Danish shops while on a business promotion or bilateral relations tour (or even when one just happens to be there at that time) is absolutely normal.
But IMO it's not good when the work of the royals gets mixed up with their private/financial affairs and I think Joachim & Marie should be very careful in the future.

Muhler
But that the DRF, or for that matter most royals, return a favour that's a well-known thing.
Click to expand...
The problem is that this was a very big favour (I don't know of any other favours like this in the DRF or other RFs) and I keep asking myself how big will the return favour be?
 
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ricarda said:
Did Ole Lyngaard turn Frederik into a millionaire? No.
As others guessed rightly I was referring to Prince Joachim.

To open Danish shops while on a business promotion or bilateral relations tour (or even when one just happens to be there at that time) is absolutely normal.
But IMO it's not good when the work of the royals gets mixed up with their private/financial affairs and I think Joachim & Marie should be very careful in the future.
Click to expand...

This is what I got too.
You were referring to Joachim and
it was Marie who recently opened a Lego store during her trip to New York (which she did as patron of Autism Org, i think)
 
ricarda said:
Did Ole Lyngaard turn Frederik into a millionaire? No.
As others guessed rightly I was referring to Prince Joachim.

To open Danish shops while on a business promotion or bilateral relations tour (or even when one just happens to be there at that time) is absolutely normal.
But IMO it's not good when the work of the royals gets mixed up with their private/financial affairs and I think Joachim & Marie should be very careful in the future.

The problem is that this was a very big favour (I don't know of any other favours like this in the DRF or other RFs) and I keep asking myself how big will the return favour be?
Click to expand...

Indeed they should and I'm confident they will be careful.

And as long their return favours are on the level of opening a Danish shop abroad once in a while, it will not be seen as a return favour but duty.
The DRF after all routinely promote Danish commerce whenever they are on the move abroad in whatever official capacity and Lego is now the largest company in DK, so the Ministry of Trade/Commerce would have had no objections at all about our Marie opening a Lego store in New York.
And without being a psycic I'll state that high on the Lego wishlist is to have Mary (preferrably with at least one of her children) open a similar store in Australia. And we may very well live to see that happen. ;)
 
I'm sure we will see other Lego shops opened by members of the DRF and thanks to your darling Joachim it will from now on always have a touch of nepotism to it. ;)

Anyhow, this was originally about the article claiming that Mary's dropping of CIFF is a sign that the DRF will in the future be less involved with business and that Mary will focus on social issues. And I simply don't agree with that assessment.
1. Mary's focus was always on social issues. CIFF was the only business-related patronage (as the article itself states)
2. There was a concrete reason why she dropped CIFF. It was to distance herself from an unethical conduct, not to avoid the accusation of nepotism.
3. Frederik & Mary have done more business promotion tours in the last years than they ever did before. The involvement with business seems to increase actually, though not necessarily in the form of a patronage.
4. Because of Joachim's affairs the accusation of nepotism is now more justified than it ever was before.
 
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