Courrèges is outgrowing its digs. For the first time, the Space Age label unveiled its coed pre-fall collection in a showroom, instead of its historic headquarters in Paris. The clothes and accessories were presented around an installation designed by French artist Rémy Brière that was inspired by telephone antennas.
Although Courrèges does not publish results, it’s safe to assume that it’s growing fast under the stewardship of Nicolas Di Felice, who has catapulted the brand back into the spotlight since joining the house in 2020 (his oversized biker jacket promises to be one of spring’s hottest items, having already been spotted on celebrities including Dua Lipa, Rosalía and Bella Hadid.)
A version of the unisex jacket appeared in this lineup, tweaked to include a small white Courrèges logo on the chest. Di Felice cuts a mean jacket and this season he made sure to include a few more office-friendly options too. Tailored men’s suit jackets and coats featured sleeves that unzipped to the elbow, the better to posture with a smartphone.
The designer was thinking about our collective obsession with our screens, which translated into a “Big Brother” style eye logo that appeared on the back of a pale pink sleeveless men’s coat and a 1960s-style white A-line minidress.
“I’m struck by the absence of real physical contact,” he said. “I’ve very often been in situations where people are talking through an app even though they’re in the same room.” Tops in nude mesh and lightweight black vinyl were printed with the rallying cry: “United Resistance, Together in the Here and Now.”
One surefire way to grab attention is the tailored version of his skirt pant, introduced on the women’s runway last season. Now available for men also, it consists of a miniskirt attached to two trouser legs that exposes just a sliver of flesh below the crotch — NSFW, perhaps, but great for winking at that stranger on the subway.