As a growing brand, Rochambeau can enjoy that flexibility and freedom that more structured, bigger labels cannot even consider. Instead of sticking to past seasons’ show format, the fashion house skipped the catwalk this February and opted for a presentation featuring a behind-the-scene photo studio set. According to Laurence Chandler, who designs the brand with Joshua Cooper, this is not the only big change at Rochambeau. The designers decided to create more stable relationships with the artists they work with every season so they asked Aaron Curry, who teamed with them last spring, to renew their collaboration.
“This enables us to create a more solid connection with artists and, at the same time, give retailers that sense of continuity they look for,” Chandler said.
For fall, the designers put the focus on Curry’s creative process and embroidered some of his notes and sketches on the brand’s signature streetwear-savvy staples, including a soft leather varsity jacket, a hoodie with an horizontal insert on the front, a velour bomber and a cool canvas shirt.
A Francis Picabia-inspired drawing by Curry was printed on a polo shirt matched with embroidered sweatpants, while maxi nylon puffers were splashed with a graphic specifically developed by the artist for the collection. The cool outwear range also included fleece anoraks, a classic trenchcoat worked in cozy Japanese terrycloth and a covetable shearling front pocket jacket rendered in a bright orange red tone.
