For his first collection at the head of Courrèges, Nicolas Di Felice, the new artistic director, was inspired by the joyful heritage of the famous fashion house to project it into an optimistic future. The young prodigy has succeeded in creating a coherent and unmissable collection that reflects the expectations of our time.
Titled “I can feel your heartbeat,” the collection, placed under the sign of youth, optimism, celebration and love, inaugurates the reign of Nicolas Di Felice, who took over as artistic director of Courrèges in September 2020. The virtual fashion show shown as a video on March 3rd took place in La Station-Gare des Mines at the Porte d’Aubervilliers, the epicenter of dance and a mecca for the Parisian underground scene. A huge white open-air box was used as a podium for the models who walked around to the sound of music immersing the spectator in a clubbing atmosphere. Dressed mainly in black and white with a few looks in pink, red and navy blue, the determined-looking models walked to the sound of a voice repeating “Let’s go!” that was reminiscent of the repetitive vibrations of a heartbeat.
Beginning with a long flared plaid trench coat, this collection produced a sense of refinement inspired by the best of Courrèges’ archives, known for its minimalist designs with geometric and futuristic cuts. Bringing together eras and juxtaposing cultures, Nicolas Di Felice has reworked the house’s joyful aesthetic into the contemporary world, as illustrated by spaghetti straps, thigh-high boots, XXL earrings and bags, asymmetrical tops, flared pants or leather jackets with turned-up collars and trapeze coats, perfectly in line with the brand’s DNA.
The 37-year-old Belgian designer, who graduated from La Cambre and worked at Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton and Dior before becoming artistic director of Courrèges, immersed himself in the house’s archives and came to the decision “that everything had to be kept and redone,” as he told Le Figaro.
Awaited by fans of this iconic house of French couture, often disappointed by previous attempts to relaunch the brand, this show augurs a new era full of promise as the house of Courrèges celebrates its 60th anniversary. With the forty looks in his collection, Nicolas Di Felice breathes freedom and freshness into the Courrèges’ signature at a time when the house probably needed it most. Light, accessible, embodying the image of a woman who is both sexy and modern as André Courrèges conceived it, Nicolas Di Felice’s collection reflects his desire to design a style that is deliberately timeless: “a design that will not be out of fashion in six months” because, according to the creator, “that’s where sustainable development begins. An ethical approach that is also reflected in the choice of ecological and more accessible materials: a symbol of the brand for years, vinyl has been produced in an organic version and the prices of some pieces have been adjusted downwards. A creative success, waiting for September to confirm that the assets of this collection will have charmed the regular customers of the house of Courrèges while seducing a new clientele.
