Études Studio. Men's Fall 2020 - Paris Fashion Week

Images from the designer and the public domain. Credited to the photographer/company where applicable: Gorunway.com)

The French have always being good at science fiction, from their inspirational futures of Jules Vern through to its inspired 19th Century Utopian dreams thereafter, it was not until the second World War did a darker resonance within the French science fiction and speculative fiction transpire, this created the cinema noir of the 1960s Parisian dystopian hallmark, refer to Jean-Luc Goddard's science fiction masterpiece 'Alphaville' (1965), moving further into the 1970s when in 74' the incredibly talented French artists Jean Giraud (Moebius) and Philippe Druillet created the 'adult' Métal hurlant comic, that by its definition influenced so many Hollywood productions in the years that followed.

The fashion collaborative brand Études Studio, despite still being in its infancy as a label, beginning in 2012, it has showed case eight seasons at Paris Fashion Week, being of the socially minded implementation of its designs.  They have slightly toned back from a social dualist aspect, rather they have begun experimenting with the obscure. With previous collections conjoining selective truths, as the tedium of the culture wars were at a fervor point.  The exhaustion of discerning the hysteria from what maybe perceived as truth via the digital feedback loops could be now reaching a conclusion – thus we may now be entering the viewpoint of a broken world of dystopic landscapes. As the illusions of grandeur, only ever offered two templates: the traditionalism of the Nuclear Family part 2 or the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.  That was it.  Despite the noise and outcries.  There were not  many choices.    

Yes, I adore 60s, 70s and 80s French science fiction.

Études Studio for their Fall 2020 collection have drawn from the many parallel aspects of their county's influences on SciFi, but also that of Hollywood, with the Terminator 2 (1990) pop culture references printed on tops and knitted jumpers.  Their interest in 1980s retro is also a global phenomenon of the cultural trends that were before the digital world; be it 8bit arcade games, video cassettes, 80s movies and synthesizer music.

There is some fine tailoring via their suit ensembles, mixed with a sporty street wear appeal. The styles have a relaxed feel, a light hearted resignation to the end, as everything is impermanent more so fashion.   But, it is not nihilistic by any measure.  Études Studio latest collection is less dystopia and avant garde and more fixed on representing very interesting dynamics of pop culture from the last four decades. Also noted are prints of the 1973 French SciFi animation “La Planète sauvage” appearing on shirts, jackets and bombers.