Courrèges returns to menswear with a romantic yet sharp collection

French fashion label Courrèges made its return to menswear at Paris Men’s Fashion Week on Wednesday with a romantic yet sharp collection, created by Belgian designer Nicolas Di Felice.

The co-ed collection, like the majority of runway shows at the French men’s fashion week, was presented with a film, the second episode for Di Felice after his womenswear collection for the brand was unveiled in March. 
 
A white cube within the industrial wasteland of La Station- Gare des Mines in Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis), a live music venue at the epicentre of Paris’ counter culture, served as the setting for the two collections. For Wednesday’s finale, this décor gave way to the edge of a forest, symbolising a re-found freedom gained with the slowdown of the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Elegant and cut close to the body, the Courrèges silhouette stood out from the oversized, gender neutral silhouettes which had dominated fashion week since Tuesday. 
 
This collection sees Di Felice mix graphic elements such as the brand’s iconic square necklines and trapeze dresses with the workwear elements, which draw from the silhouettes of the world of work, for which he has great affection.
 
A large checked coat with raglan sleeves is paired with a cap and a zip-up jacket. Di Felice, a Belgian, also chose to present clogs and a striking sleeveless jacket for the first time. The collection also saw the designer’s monochrome palette broaden to include a sunny yellow along with signature hues of black and white. 
 
Di Felice was named as Courrèges’ creative director in September to breathe new life into the Parisian fashion house which became famous in the 1960s for its futuristic style. 
 
Di Felice, who is 38 years old, graduated from La Cambre in Brussels, Belgium, before working for Balenciaga, Dior, and Louis Vuitton alongside designer Nicolas Ghesquière. Di Felice took over from German designer Yolanda Zobel at Courrèges who left the brand in January 2020 after two years of well-received collections and a commitment to end plastic production.