Why have you decided not to hold a fashion show this season?
We decided to take a break this season. In fact, the beat never stops. We thought it would be interesting because 2024 marks the end of a cycle, the beginning of a new day, to take a step back. We certainly do not intend to stop, but to gather our thoughts so that we can bounce back better next June. From the Palais Royal to Porte Maillot, we've organised fashion shows in so many different places! After 12 years of experience, we've gained more control: what's interesting is the idea of initiating something new, without having to endure anything. With 280 pieces (instead of the usual 320), the collection is being shown to buyers in a gallery, and we'll be inviting journalists and the public next season. We like to create these moments of rupture. In 2020 the collection covered a single year. We think it's legitimate today to question the format—the way we create and present. Undoubtedly because the way we consume is evolving. Should the idea of the season still dictate everything?
What has been the biggest change in menswear in recent years?
Ten years ago, the market wasn't as dynamic. You can feel that the collections have broadened and that the genders are blending further. There are fewer barriers.
What is the DNA of ETUDES?
Our style is influenced by streetwear and subcultures. Each collection is rooted in a dialogue with art. We talk about our “audience” more than our customers, even if the distribution network is established, with 120 retailers around the world. In addition to our clothes, we offer a cross-disciplinary approach, involving art, publishing and photography, which flows around the brand.
How do you keep working together?
We get together and talk a lot. We each draw on our respective skills, collection planning, graphic design, collaborations and image. We define ourselves as a collective. We've always worked on the principle that by multiplying our skills, we'd be more agile in expressing ourselves on different media. Depending on each person's area of expertise, everything balances out naturally. A brand has to be consistent at every level; there's no hierarchy. Between the three of us, there are no boundaries. We're often compared to a music group. In fashion, we may seem to be UFOs.
