Nikolaj Storm wins Zalando Sustainability Award

Nikolaj Storm has been named the winner of the Zalando Sustainability Award 2021 during Copenhagen Fashion Week for his continued commitment to producing fashionable, high-quality and low-impact products.

The young sustainable streetwear brand, based in Copenhagen, has become known for its unisex eclectic style with a focus on prints and bold colours. The Danish brand uses sustainable fabrics and packaging and aims to have no waste from production by redesigning and upcycling pieces from old stock. Nikolaj Storm also offers in-house repairs to transform worn styles to help customers prolong the life of each style even further. 

Nikolaj Storm was named the 2021 Zalando Sustainability Award winner, ahead of London-based finalists Teatum Jones and Mother of Pearl, for his varied use of sustainable materials. Zalando also said that his “fresh, modern take on genderless and diverse fashion set it apart from the competition”.

Anaheta von Berenberg, buying director and designer at Zalando, said in a statement: “Nikolaj Storm Copenhagen demonstrated a strong commitment to more sustainable practices by showcasing a variation of innovative materials within the collection and brought fun and energy to Copenhagen Fashion Week. 

“It was this blend of boldness and dedication to more sustainable practices which set the brand apart from the competition. We believe it is this type of collection our consumers need right now to consider making more sustainable fashion choices.” 

Zalando Sustainability Award names Nikolaj Storm Copenhagen as winner

As the winner, Nikolaj Storm takes home 20,000 euros and a partnership with Zalando to develop an exclusive capsule collection that will further explore more sustainable solutions in design across materials, production processes, technological solutions and traceability.


Commenting on winning the Zalando Sustainability Award, creative director Nikolaj Storm, said: “To win is a huge moment for me and one I am immensely proud of. It has been a journey to reach this point and I am grateful to work with a fantastic team of people who have brought me to this moment today. Our ambition is to marry together our passion of self-expression through fashion with our commitment to finding more sustainable practices. This approach ensures we offer customers uncompromising styles, whilst allowing them to shop in a way that is kinder to the people and the planet.   “We are grateful to Zalando for bringing this award to the attention of the industry at a time when it needs it most. Our industry must continue to work harder to find better ways of promoting sustainable values, and with the support of initiatives like this, it is possible. We are excited for the next steps of our journey together and to create a collection for more fashion fans around the world to enjoy.”

Nikolaj Storm presents spring/summer 2022 collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week

Each of the finalists also got to showcase during Copenhagen Fashion Week, with Nikolaj Storm’s collection 6 entitled the ‘Techno Teaparty’ inspired by Victorian tea parties and the underground techno culture from Berlin. This was translated into a fun collection filled with vibrant colours and eye-catching prints. It was also all produced from sustainable and responsible materials, such as recycled nylon, Tencel and cork.

The judges said that Nikolaj Storm Copenhagen’s spring/summer 2022 collection is “the type of fashion consumers are waiting for to realise that more sustainable clothing can be bold, colourful and full of fun!” 
 As well as producing a collection with Zalando, the online retailer adds that it will support Nikolaj Storm’s business growth by making a “broad selection” of his showcased spring/summer 2022 collection available to its more than 45 million customers across 23 European markets. 

Each of the finalists was judged by a jury of industry experts, including Cecilie Thorsmark, chief executive officer at Copenhagen Fashion Week and model and environmental activist Arizona Muse. They evaluated each label’s sustainability strategies, including their collections and dedication to sustainability advancements and innovation.
 The runners-up, Mother of Pearl and Teatum Jones were also recognised by the jury as outstanding examples of brands that inspire and integrate sustainability throughout the entire supply chain while creating bespoke fashion pieces that are wardrobe heroes.

This is the second season of Zalando’s three-year partnership with Copenhagen Fashion Week and the first to be opened to international designers. The inaugural Zalando sustainability award was won by Swedish label House of Dagmar who impressed the judging panel with its “strong sustainable ambition” and went onto develop an exclusive collection with the online retailer.