études Men’s Fall 2022
The design trio of Aurélien Arbet, Jérémie Egry and José Lamali took inspiration from the gritty New York City of Jean-Michel Basquiat while digging through their own archives to create a mature, melded collection for the 10th anniversary of études.
Not only does this year mark a decade for the label, but the trio is now also at the helm of the more staid Aigle brand. Both of those factors are at play here in smartly tailored trenches and blazers, but paired with patchwork jeans, a velvet tracksuit or topping a branded soccer jersey.
More from WWD
Basquiat’s frenzied sketches are embroidered here on a houndstooth coat, a white shirt or laser-etched into denim, while nods to their own past collections were shown in reworking designs, such as the “Never-Mind” logo migrating from a graphic T-shirt to reinvent itself as the print on a chunky scarf.
The brand once again worked with British boot maker Solovair, this season to create shoes with irregular polka dots. A puffer jacket and head-to-toe suiting with the pattern created one of the most memorable looks.
While the trio dedicated this collection as a “heartfelt tribute” to New York and cited the city as central to its brand identity, it premiered the very French film “Twenty” at their Men’s Fashion Week presentation Tuesday night.
The short from director Grégoire Dyer featured a mix of pieces from past and present, and juxtaposed the bursting bright colors of the springtime French Alps with bleak abandoned buildings in Paris’ banlieue. A trio of friends meets, plays and parties in both places, meant to evoke the friendship between the designers, who promise to find each other years later.
The presentation was accompanied by a live-mixed soundtrack from Pierre Rousseau, which built to a crescendo as the film bounced between stories.
The film debuted simultaneously online, but there was something about getting guests into the Gaité Lyrique’s triple-screen theater. The audience was surrounded by the mountains and the sweaty bodies of the gritty club for a few minutes, even if the IRL seating was socially distanced.
Launch Gallery: études Men's Fall 2022
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.