The Études fashion brand, founded by Aurélien Arbet, Jérémie Egry and José Lamali, has set an intention to ground their collections in a specific locale.
For their Fall/Winter 2023 collection, the designers were inspired by the Petite Ceinture, the railway track that once ferried commuters around the periphery of Paris, and L’île de la Cité, the island at the city’s core which has been occupied since the fourth century. The invitation for the show featured a padlock scratched with a heart encircling an ‘E’, hanging from a key ring adorned with multiple keys, which evokes the lovers’ locks that can be found adorning the bridges of Paris, a controversial topic as the mayor’s office has condemned the practice as degrading to both infrastructure and public space.
The collection was not a recreation, but rather a combination of formalwear, workwear, and streetwear references that were remixed to create the contemporary designs that Études is known for. Look 24, in shades of electric blue, perfectly exemplified this blending, featuring a slouchy wool suit paired with a half-zip sweater, an oversized satin parka, rubber outdoor boots, and a baseball cap pulled low over the eyes.
The collection also incorporated mythological-looking symbols taken from the archive of Swiss artist Batia Suter, with whom the label collaborated this season. The strongest looks were those that showcased the designers’ own personal touch, such as double-breasted woolen trench and pea coats that were hand-painted with energetic splashes of black, and a faded canvas bomber jacket embroidered with a skeleton.
