PARIS — After over a decade of collaboration as a trio, Études Studio has entered a new era. The brand announced in April that José Lamali would step away from the group, and the house would continue with the duo of Aurélien Arbet and Jérémie Egry at the helm.
“It’s kind of a comeback to the core of the brand,” Arbet told WWD.
The two were childhood friends and worked together on fashion projects before officially establishing Études with Lamali in 2012. “Now we are back to the original format, and that brings some new energy between the two of us, and for the brand in general,” he said.
The arrangement offers a newfound sense of clarity. “We are excited to be working as the two of us. It makes the choices probably more direct and more compact. It’s like a reboot or restart,” he added.
The departure signals a pivotal shift for the Études brand — renamed as Études Studio last year — both structurally and creatively. While a new business strategy and executive appointments are still under wraps, with more details expected in September, the designers made it clear that the transition has given them a new sense of direction.
A look from Études’ spring 2026 collection.
Gaspar J. Ruiz Lindberg / Courtesy Etudes Studio
Now, the new Études returned to the runway Tuesday for the first time since 2023.
After years of the seasonal show grind, the break was needed, said Egry, and they explored different presentation formats during that time. With the reboot, “we thought the announcement of the art direction as a duo would be a strong momentum to come back to the runway format,” said Arbet. “It was also matching with our perspective for the future of the brand.”
The collection presented on the opening day of Paris Fashion Week at the Palais de Tokyo, titled “Surroundings,” drew on land art as a central theme.
“We were really interested in the idea of nature, exterior, and in connecting it with our own vision of landscape,” said Egry. One key inspiration is the work of artist Nancy Holt, particularly her images from the Utah desert. “For us, this image really was inspiring and striking,” he said.
Another influential reference was Robert Smithson’s “Spiral Jetty,” which inspired the actual runway format of the show as models walked around a central swirl. The concept reflected the idea to play with perspective — “to forget about the option of the studio as a physical space, but to use the landscape as a studio,” said Egry.
A look from the Études Studio collection.
Gaspar J. Ruiz Lindberg / Courtesy Etudes Studio
That translated into a confident collection that merged tailoring, utility, and minimalistic yet sculptural shapes.
Coats played a key role, in wool and paired with tailored shorts. Shirting ranged from classic fits to oversized, and toyed with house codes in an asymmetric tank.
The duo played up the utilitarian outdoor gear with nylon workwear, multipocket pants, and heavy canvas jackets. “We like to balance and create this tension between the more outdoor [looks] and the workwear,” said Egry.
They also presented hand-finished denim with washes reminiscent of spirals and other earthy cues in shades of sand, rust and a dusty desert peach, as well as fitted jersey tops and open-weave mohair knits for a tactile smorgasbord.
The 35-look collection is unisex, though it leaned heavily on menswear shapes and relaxed fit throughout. This positioning reflects their customer base, which is over 40 percent women, said Arbet.
No wallflowers here: Arbet described the collection as “clothes that you wear when you are outside, doing something.”
Reflecting the renaming to Études Studio last year, meant to mark their collaborative spirit, the brand collaborated with Korean-American artist Maia Ruth Lee, whose bound baggage sculptures and textile works inspired some of the final runway looks.
Lee’s focus on globalization and identity felt like the perfect fit for the brand at this time. “[The collection] is about the importance of time and light, and her work evolves with those elements,” Arbet said.
The duo’s commitment to art also surrounded guests with sculptures by French artist François Dufeil, which doubled as percussion instruments during the show. For their return, Arbet and Egry wanted the show to be a complete experience including art, music and sound.
Egry and Arbet (L-R)
Gaspar J. Ruiz Lindberg / Courtesy Etudes Studio
Arbet said that wholesale remains a key part of their business, with 80 accounts across 30 countries currently. The company is focused on building more long-term partnerships, with expansion in Europe and Asia, including newer markets such as India, as their current focus.
Direct-to-consumer is also a growing priority, particularly through digital channels, part of which they will build out with key appointments to come soon.
Long term, they have their sights on rebuilding their business in the U.S. “It’s a huge, massive place” that will require a renewed strategy for the region, Arbet said.
The duo will also continue in their role as artistic directors at French brand Aigle with seasonal capsules. They will celebrate that collection with a cocktail on Wednesday night.
