City life as told by Études

The Études FW23 fashion show took place in a multi-story car park in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, with an exclusive live performance by French artist Koudlam. The collection focused on the epicenter of city life. In Paris, the term "le center ville" is almost an abstract concept, but in other metropolises, it is a living expression of unity, a sign of connectedness. For this reason, the modern city is covered with a hybrid visual language that begins with architecture and extends throughout the vibrant landscape. The evolution of Études' vocabulary, manifested in materiality, iconography and the bold proposal of an enlarged silhouette, is reinforced by a muted color palette that ranges from dusty pink and arctic blue to deep green, chocolate, mud, concrete, black and beige.

The collection embraces the archetypes of the male wardrobe that are inextricably linked to city life. It is based on tonal harmonies enhanced by artisanal and industrial processes, from raw-edged tailoring to bleached and destroyed denim. Scroll-printed felted wool, padded nylons and dark satins combine with wintry tailoring fabrics to create a multi-layered discourse between sportswear, uniform, and formality. The emblematic aesthetic codes of the street are revealed in hyper-real 3D and embroidery, from padlocks and ancient coins to playful memento mori. The Études bomber jacket finds new forms in parkas and hoodies and with new fabrics and fabrications, including gutted cotton canvas, optical nylon, leather, and embroidered iconography. Wide-flowing trousers are paired with hybrid blazers with shell collars, double-breasted suit jackets, and knitwear with shaded textures.

The collection is complemented by a creative exchange with Amsterdam-based Swiss artist Batia Suter. Suter's work focuses on reinterpreting and contextualizing found images through installations, collages, and prints. Drawing on images from her seminal books Parallel Encyclopaedia #1 (2004-07) and Parallel Encyclopaedia #2 (2016), Suter has intervened directly in a series of garments. Her graphic assemblages appear like a palimpsest of time and place: prints, embroideries, and pasted patches that explore the phenomenon of cities across the centuries.