Coperni to Host Gamer-Filled Paris Fashion Week Show

GAME ON: Coperni, the French fashion brand that made a splash with its show at Disneyland Paris last season, has again chosen an unexpected venue for the next edition of Paris Fashion Week. 

In another first, cofounders Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant are set to hold their show on March 9 at the new Adidas Arena in Paris, which was completed just ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, WWD has learned.

Known for their love of technology and experimental approach to show formats, they plan to host a 24-hour LAN, or local area network, party, reviving the glory days when joining a multiplayer PC game involved hauling computers to an in-person gathering.

“We love everything digital and connected with technology, but we also love the social aspect. We want to tell stories using fashion industry codes, but geared toward a broader audience,” Vaillant said. “We decided to tackle the huge universe of gaming, which has become like a religion.”

Vaillant and Meyer enjoy playing video games like “The Legend of Zelda,” “Valorant” and “League of Legends,” but the collection will be an homage to the ‘90s, when gaming had yet to hit the mainstream consciousness.

“It was a way for people to connect with each other in real life, and it was a moment of sharing — an honest moment, a moment of freedom,” Meyer said, contrasting those unruly shindigs with today’s hyper-connected digital world.

He described the fall collection as an extension of Coperni’s ‘90s-inspired pre-fall line, merging its techno-chic aesthetic with utilitarian details like technical pockets and harness belts inspired by popular movies from “Hackers” to “Tomb Raider.”

In the last few months, the duo attended both an e-sports tournament in Paris, when thousands gathered to watch teams of players battle it out on stage, and the DreamHack in Stockholm, an old-school LAN party.

“It was basically nostalgic people. There are people who come with their families and who sleep there for two days and play nonstop,” Meyer said. “It’s really just a moment when geeks come together.”

They plan an immersive experience at the 8:30 p.m. show, with 200 players, or streamers, sitting alongside guests. There will be a mix of amateurs and professionals, and they will aim for gender parity, despite the underrepresentation of women in gaming. 

Fashion has been making growing inroads into the segment in the hope of connecting with younger customers. 

Ten years ago, Louis Vuitton featured the “Final Fantasy” character Lightning in its ads, while last year, Balenciaga launched a collaboration with the Tencent-owned racing video game “Need for Speed Mobile.” In addition, hosts of brands sponsor e-sports teams.

Coperni is known for bringing an unexpected dimension to its shows. It staged a drive-in fashion show during the coronavirus pandemic and famously staged a performance that saw a nearly naked Bella Hadid spray-painted with a dress. 

Thanks to a surprise runway appearance by Kylie Jenner, its show at Disneyland Paris last October quickly went viral, generating $16.8 million in media impact value and outperforming more than 91 percent of brands on the Paris schedule, according to data research and insights firm Launchmetrics. 

Vaillant said this season’s show will come with a series of “surprises” — expect partnerships to be announced in due course. 

“I think the impact will be pretty crazy both visually, because it will be stunning, and in terms of digital amplification, because they represent a whole young generation. It’s a huge community,” he said.