At C.P. Company’s spring/summer 17 presentation at New York Fashion Week: Mens last night, many of the models wore slim, simple white sweats and neat white tops. It’s a strategy that worked for Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer, who presented their debut collection as joint creative directors of futuristic French house Courrèges by showing only one item of clothing on a white ribbed bodysuit. At C.P. Company, this uniform approach kept the emphasis on outwerwear — where the brand innovates best.
C.P. Company returned to its roots by revisiting its iconic silhouettes rather literally. The presentation included both ten archival and ten spring/summer 17 looks, each demonstrating a unique balance between heritage and modernity. The spring/summer 17 designs pushed this DNA to exciting new places, using the innovative construction methods, dyeing techniques, and fabric development technologies that make even its earliest pieces so distinctive. Longstanding parka and blazer styles — created with original fabric technologies developed by C.P. Company — are updated as slimmer, stretchier, and more lightweight. These tailored looks are achieved without sacrificing the brand’s workwear-inspired touches; pockets, drawstrings, and snaps added functional texture to clean, sharp lines.
Among these distinctive details were a few pairs of goggles affixed to the protective hoods found on C.P. Company’s most iconic style, the Mille Miglia jacket. After sponsoring the Italian car race in 1988, the brand’s founder, Massimo Osti, applied his research of Japanese and Swiss militaria to fashioning lightweight protection. Its goggles are still a high point nearly 30 years later, as many show goers swerved to get a better look at the classic racing piece.
Credits
Text Emily Manning
Images courtesy BFA