Koché adds glitz to classic looks, drops capsule collection with Tinder
A genuine “celebration of fashion.” This was how Christelle Kocher, founder and creative director of Koché, described the show unveiling her latest collection, christened ‘Magic Hands’. To a soundtrack by Massive Attack, the show dreamed of the summer to come, drenching with colour the luxurious salons of the prestigious Shangri-La Paris hotel, located in the French capital’s 16th arrondissement. Undoubtedly a safe bet, choosing such a gilded, opulent setting as the backdrop to a collection described as “more refined and elevated than ever,” in which Koché chose to revisit a selection of wardrobe essentials with a “new classics” aesthetic.
The yearning to dress up again, without however giving up on the cosy outfits enjoyed in recent months, was the common thread running through a mixed-gender, cheerful and optimistic collection. Simple, chic items, the hallmark of the Parisian label founded in 2015, were back centre stage as an integral part of Koché’s DNA. Sweatshirts and hoodies in pastel printed fabrics, decorated with cool powder pink sequins, knee-length boxer-style shorts, loose, generously cut trousers, and ultra-slinky leggings that took on a sophisticated vibe combined with blazers with plunging necklines or structured crop tops.
Koché’s lavish, highly feminine style featured an overload of 1930s glamour, especially noticeable in the short party dresses with architecturally constructed shoulders, or the ample knitwear in sunny tone-on-tone hues. Embroidery, ostrich feathers, organza silk and the lace details typical of Koché, the 2019 ANDAM prize winner, added a touch of glitz to asymmetrical dresses, halter-neck tops and even tunics and short capes. Koché also discreetly unveiled its new monogram logo, cleverly cached within white open-work dresses. In terms of accessories, some models carried delicate pastel-coloured flowers matching their looks, and the collection also included imposing dark hats and brightly coloured feather slippers.
“Emotion is back, as is meeting again and sharing fashion. For me this is a moment of pure poetry, and the whole team is happy and proud to be sharing this collection in physical format with our audience, with journalists and buyers,” said Kocher at the end of the show, after enjoying a few quips and welcoming journalists to her improvised “lounge” on the hotel’s terrace. “I wanted to celebrate dressing up, craftsmanship, things made properly. I was really keen to fête couture, and it seemed very important to return to essentials,” said Kocher, also the creative director of Lemarié, citing as examples the hand-made embroidery, the organza flowers and her reinterpretation of contemporary items with the addition of traditional elements. “I find it very important to draw inspiration from past techniques that are fashion’s heritage, and to feature them in the present while looking towards the future,” she added, mentioning how important it is to forge “alliances” with history.
Connections that also take the form of contemporary collaborations. The show’s surprise element was the appearance of a small logo on the upper left side of an oversize, open-shoulder black top, revisited in the shape of a cocktail dress and enhanced with a hem of red and black ostrich feathers. The recognizable design of a small flame with the Koché x Tinder tag inscribed beneath it heralded the launch of a capsule collection developed by Koché with well-known dating app Tinder. An eight-item genderless line, Tinder's first foray into fashion, including a dress, sweatshirts, t-shirts, a headscarf and a hat.
A series of simple, flowing garments with a more affordable positioning than is customary for Koché, their prices ranging from €50 to €245. The collection is available from September 28 at select stores and on Koché's e-shop, which delivers internationally to Spain, the UK, Italy, Japan, the USA and Germany. The profits will be donated to Casa 93, a project run by the ModaFusion association located in Paris’s Seine Saint-Denis district, a fashion school close to Kocher which promotes the training of emerging talents of diverse origin.
“The strength of this collection is that it embodies a generation with many faces,” said Kocher, underlining her satisfaction for collaborating with an app that is “rooted in popular culture” and is representative of “our times and of values that are important to us, such as inclusivity and diversity.”
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