After a brief hiatus, Études is back with its original “Studio” tacked back onto its name. The brand also boasts a “renewed temporality,” as founders José Lamali, Jérémy Egry, and Aurélien Arbet put it. This latest collection, presented as two separate releases numbered 24 and 25, is intended for winter and next summer respectively.
This time around, Études abandoned the traditional runway format, opting instead for a performance at the Palais de Tokyo, the renowned contemporary art center in Paris. The show featured a group of dancers, a poetry reading by James Massiah, and a soundtrack provided by indie guitarist Pierre Bujeau, known as Megabasse.
Backstage, the founders described their reset. “We wanted to invite the audience to witness the creation and evolution of a piece, through music and performance, and we wanted to reaffirm our codes as makers of clothing for artists,” Egry explained, summing up the label as “American workwear with French elegance.”
An official collaboration with The Kitchen, a New York-based experimental art hub founded in 1971, added a unique dimension to the collection, infusing it with a textured, experimental feel. The collaboration drew inspiration from Andy Warhol’s Polaroid work, evident in pieces like a blue striped button-down and a white sweatshirt featuring a naive floral silkscreen. One t-shirt even bore Warhol’s iconic self-portrait with wig, makeup, and necktie.
Despite the artistic influences, the collection also displayed a minimalist aesthetic. A chocolate windbreaker and a khaki suit exuded an effortless yet polished air, while an overcoat seemed to evoke the appearance of half-developed film. Cargo vests, imbued with a patina of time, added a touch of ruggedness.
The dancers, moving together and apart under the direction of choreographer Michele Rizzo, brought the mood into focus despite a haze of dry ice. They embodied the essence of the collection, showcasing the clothing’s fluidity and adaptability.
Twelve years after its founding, Études Studio continues to thrive. In today’s unpredictable fashion landscape, this is a remarkable achievement. After several detours, the brand feels revitalized and poised for a new chapter.
