Year in Review 2024: A Personal Letter from CEO Helena Waker

Dear friends, colleagues, and partners,

Looking back at 2024, I feel proud of everything we have achieved together. It has been a year filled with challenges, but also amazing successes that demonstrate the strength of our community.

What truly warms my heart is seeing how our district grows and flourishes. The fact that we managed to double our exhibition space during Fashion Week Trade feels almost surreal – imagine having nearly 700 brands under one roof! This is the result of everyone’s hard work and trust in our vision.
Looking ahead to 2025, an even larger trade show is already fully booked, where we welcome strong agencies such as The Brands Agency, A Factory of Wonder, Lanz Agentur, Welcome to Welcome Agentur, Andreen Agenturer, and Grefiender Agentur, among several others.

We are proud of our continued commitment to industry development through a series of significant trade shows and events. These include Nordic Fabric Fair, which brings together leading players in the textile industry, as well as the strategically important Days of Trade – Interior & Design in both Malmö and Gothenburg. We have also arranged ongoing purchasing days throughout the year to support the industry’s continuous development.

During the year, we have welcomed new tenants to Stockholm Showroom and Stockholm Shoe House. I would particularly like to highlight our nine new tenants who have chosen to become part of Stockholm Fashion District, including Love it Agency, Selected Brands, and Dyrberg/Kern – players who further strengthen our position as a leading center for fashion and trade.

A significant milestone for the district is also the establishment of the new vocational training program for sewing operators in Nacka. Nordiska Textilakademin now has its home in the Stockholm Showroom building and actively contributes to strengthening and future-proofing the Swedish textile industry – more about this exciting project can be read here.

A personal highlight for me was when we presented this year’s Encouragement for Action award to Icebug. Seeing how companies take concrete steps toward a more sustainable future gives me hope and inspiration. The fact that Icebug already meets the EU’s sustainability requirements for 2030 shows the way forward for the entire industry, and we are proud to have them in our network.

This year’s 110th anniversary celebration became exactly as warm and memorable as I had hoped. Sharing this milestone with 150 of you – our members, tenants, and partners – reminded me of how special our community is. This year’s successes and our stability in a challenging market rest on this solid foundation.

As we enter 2025, I feel filled with optimism. With you by my side, I am convinced that we will continue to develop Stockholm Fashion District into something even more extraordinary. We look forward to continuing to create value for the entire industry and strengthen Sweden’s position on the international scene together with our partners.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a successful 2025,
Helena Waker, CEO of  Stockholm Fashion District and Trade Partners Sweden