Coperni’s Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer channeled the American spirit of Silicon Valley for their latest resort collection, showcased at a makeshift showroom in Manhattan. The designers, known for their interest in technology, conjured the wardrobe of a young woman working in the sciences, with an undeniably West Coast ease.
Floral prints, in fact depicting apples, adorned jacquard cardigans, boy short twinsets, breezy wrap dresses, and button-down shirts layered over simple white tees and tucked into ’70s-style patch pocket jeans. Asymmetrical denim styles, such as a denim jacket and trousers with only one sleeve or leg respectively, added a playful touch. A maxi denim skirt boasted a sensual and playful sinuous line.
Preppy striped polo shirts and dresses contrasted handsomely with the apple print pieces. Meyer explained the inclusion of these items as a nod to Stanford University’s academic setting. The designers also incorporated tech guy influences, experimenting with turning outerwear into bodysuits and giving the ubiquitous performance vest the Coperni treatment.
The cursed toe sneakers received a chic makeover as sleek mary-janes in white leather or black with crystal embellishments. A heathered gray sweatshirt bore the inscription STAY FOOLISH STAY HUNGRY, taken from the Whole Earth Catalog, a cult magazine/catalog that promoted a do-it-yourself, environmentally conscious lifestyle. This exhortation to stay curious and not complacent resonated with Meyer and Vaillant, whose designs encourage a similar embrace of the unknown.
