Youth For Understanding: KOCHÉ Pre-Fall 2018 – Text by Marcelo Horacio Maquieira Piriz

Dear Shaded Viewers & Diane,

Pumped by its own irreversible fluidity, fashion is now brutally touring worldwide as Paris’ own Koché pre-fall parade performed in NYC a few days ago– a perfect transatlantic transaction. The dynamic generated by the show proved the irreplaceable loss of a twenty-first century couturier, offering as compensation the notion that tomorrow’sones are calling for urgent renovation through daring to chase the unknown.

Rather than performing to Trump’s arenas by targeting the American markets, Koché’s designer Christelle Kocher brought Paris outside of Paris through an independent pop-up calendar, to huge, overseas success. As a result, presentations abroad are not only affordable, but also accessible to everyone. Voilà!

In the top ten pre-fall 2018 lists, one can see how designers pollute their vision by peeking at each other’s work. Koché’s work, however, seems immune to this viral phenomenon. There is something differently Parisian about her work, something distant from the city’s static melancholia, yet couturesque. Absolutely New York-ish, mon chéri. Just like the daily double-shot energizer necessary to deal with the demands of the big apple, these clothes mean we can finally hit the streets dressed for the beyond instead of conventional uniforms.

Was there a poetic-political message behind it all? Probably! Not one, but all of the finale models were carrying books like a mass addiction, like in religion, or in those cultures that call for union and support, like the fanaticism of football (Paris Saint-Germain Club supports the designer). Indeed, her runway was the place where manifestation started, regardless whether you were heading Uptown or Downtown after the show.

Last of all, I wonder how New Yorker’s might pronounce Koché. Kouchii? Kochay? Fortunately, it is similar to chic, bannering that humorous street chic that has already impregnated the brand’s DNA.

KOCHÉ@koche_official.

Photos: © Indigitalimages

Best,

MHM.

OFICINA GABARDINE (OG)

Designer Consultancy Retail Development Media Relations Buying Adviser