Why Coperni Femme Is the Hot Label To Buy Right Now
It is always refreshing to see those labels that sprout up, seemingly out of nowhere, all green and new and determined, like a flower that grows out of a cracked sidewalk. Nothing against the heritage houses that we’ve all grown to know and love, but with their endless resources and armies of staffers, it’s thrilling to see nascent brands grow and (hopefully) thrive.
Coperni Femme is one such label. And before we go any further, it should be noted that, yes, it officially no longer exists! But it’s not for the reason that you may think and you can still buy the clothes. (Anyone with a hankering for fashion and an appreciation for fine design should!) Here’s why.
“There is room for those precious labels, but that is not us,” remarked Sébastien Meyer one afternoon while talking us through Coperni Femme’s Fall 2015 collection in Paris. “We want women to be able to wear our clothes.” Meyer established the label with his partner in business and life, Arnaud Valliant, and they are both Balenciaga alums dating back to the days of Nicholas Ghesquiere. After two short seasons —in which they took home the prestigious ANDAM First Collection Prize and were selected as finalists for t his year’s coveted LVMH Prize — the duo were recently tapped to be the artistic directors of Courrèges.
We’ve seen a lot of these shakeups recently — storied houses bringing on the new guard — there’s Adrian Caillaudaud and Alexis Martial at Carven, Public School’s Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne at DKNY, and now Meyer and Valliant at Courrèges. While we are all for their ever-expanding success, we were very intrigued to see where Coperni Femme would go. The spring collection ( currently being sold at Opening Ceremony) focused on the basics — polo dresses that looked simultaneously sporty and mod, stark white tops, and slim-cut trousers. It doesn’t sound like much but when you see the clothes up close, you’ll note that tailoring is rather exquisite. For fall, the pair focused on the notion of the circle. This manifested in everything from silver, white, and black overlapping spheres on a black suede jacket to the calculated circular hem of a cream top and matching skirt. The elongated jacket of a chic pinstripe suit was rounded at the bottom so as not to break stride with the rest of the collection. Our favorite piece was the white oxford shirt that featured an exaggerated cuff attachment that could be worn up the arm, wrapped around the wrist, or trailing alongside its wearer, like a fashionable Slinky.
All in all, it was a rather mod, space-aged collection, which is not surprising given that the brand is named for famed astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. Was it in the stars that Courrèges would come calling? Both labels are rooted in a futuristic view of fashion. And while we can’t wait to see what Meyer and Valliant will dream up for their Courrèges Spring 2016 debut, we can only hope that once they achieve the success they deserve (including racking up more accolades), that they’ll one day return to the labor of love that was Coperni Femme.
In the meantime, you’ve got the future of fashion here, so while the clothes are not cheap, best to get shopping should you want to own a piece of history.
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