Christelle Kocher focuses on handwork, calling it the reason why a garment becomes exceptional. Bringing forward the reinterpreted crafts behind the final products, is something that has always been an emphasis in KOCHÉ’s collections. But with the “New Classic” aesthetic, the artisans are brought into the light. The human touch is magical, according to Kocher. When craftspeople sew, drape, embellish, or retouch a garment, there is a special and beautiful form of art taking place. Kocher has created this collection, to really put an emphasis on the intricacy that happens behind the doors of KOCHÉ’s ateliers.
To match the intricate work on details and embellishments in the collection, Kocher selected a very special location for the fashion show. The elegant architecture in the Shangri-La palace accentuates the true craft behind the garments. The site’s impressive aesthetics match those of the collection. A magically romantic atmosphere – characterised by the majestic backdrop of the hotel, combined with KOCHÉ’s sophisticated outfits – is created throughout the duration of the fashion show. This metaspace becomes a display of love for the work of the artisans, who put their souls into creating exceptionally elaborate fashion pieces.
There is a feel of femininity throughout the collection, enhanced by couture silk, organza and paillettes in the fashion pieces. The 1930’s glamour has inspired the figures in the collection – but, an interesting and more modern feature, is the KOCHÉ monogram that appears on the attire. It is created through a manual technique of bomb spray paint for fabric. To a varying degree, this is a recurring graphical detail on the garments in the collection. The handcrafting, otherwise, is prominent in details such as an architectural shoulder. Moreover, fine embroideries underline the gentle details in the crafts, while accentuating the pastel colour palette.The soft colours also contribute to the romantic vibe of femininity within the collection.
For a collection that touches on the subject of femininity, KOCHÉ comes full circle by including a quote by Virginia Woolf in their press release, – “how can we combine the old words in new orders so that they survive, so that they create beauty, so that they tell the truth? That is the question.” To answer this KOCHÉ has collaborated with TINDER. They believe that this collaboration integrates tailoring with pop and love culture. And by incorporating styles and people, they will fashion something astonishing and beautiful. It is a celebration of diversity and inclusiveness.
The French fashion brand KOCHÉ was founded by Central Saint Martin-graduate, and artistic director Christelle Kocher, in2015. The brand fosters strong values regarding inclusivity and diversity in fashion. They have continually stood behind these principles through their collections, by promoting a rich variety of body types, genders, and different roots – counting both the social and geographical kinds. At the very core of KOCHÉ’s identity lies expert levels of crafting skills. For Emilio Pucci’s FW2020 collection, Christelle Kocher acted as their special Guest Designer. In addition, she has previously worked for Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten, Chloé and Martine Sitbon. Today she manages KOCHÉ, while also working as the artistic Director of Maison Lemarié, Chanel Métier d’Art. KOCHÉ won the ANDAM Grand Prize, in 2019.
Images: Courtesy of KOCHÉ
Collages by Silje Kvam
