Zadig & Voltaire delivers a fiery performance full of leather

A large advertising campaign is displayed at the entrances of major cities in Paris in digital format to turn it into a popular fashion event scheduled to be held at the end of January. Using an image of the flaming Versailles fountain, Zadig&Voltaire announced their Fall/Winter 2023 show will be held on January 27, the day after the closing day of couture and once again outside official. fashion Week calendar.

The fountain proudly sits at the center of the octagonal room of the Poush art incubator on Friday evening that welcomed French celebrities and actors, international buyers, many of them from Asia and journalists. The venue, opening in 2020, is located in Aubervillers on the former grounds of the perfumery factory LT Piver, a supplier to the court of Louis XVI.

Instead of a floral scent, the atmosphere at Z&V was more like kerosene. During the performance, the water in the installation burst into flames, causing the audience to gasp in amazement and raise the temperature. Cecilia Brönström, head of design for the French brand founded by Thierry Gillieris not inspired by Ancien Régime.

Instead, the designer envisioned the new queens and kings of Fall/Winter 2023 with a first sight that resonates: a determined woman wearing a carefully tailored quilted biker jacket and fluttering bi-material pants strolling around the flaming fountain. High heels and studded earrings confirm her sexy look.

“The inspiration for this show came from two images: a classic red leather car seat and a female biker in a jacket and pants, but I also wanted to bring a little femininity into this universe by softer approaches,” the designer explains at the end of the show. program. “I’m inspired by the night, with lots of black, rhinestones, and our new moonwalk bag features a half-moon. At night, everyone wants to be themselves. Woman riding a bicycle. still exist but can wear vinyl pants with a super structured jumpsuit or an ultra-thin lingerie skirt.”

While several knit fabrics, branded with a large V, ZV 97 or Peace and Love, appear in this collection, as well as jean jackets embellished with rhinestones and light skirts featuring rhinestones. neon leopard print, leather is really everywhere. Materials range from a quilted jacket and trousers in navy, cream, and black to a red vinyl dress that matches the bag of the same color.

“I’ve designed a crumpled leather material that has become an iconic brand in the past. I wanted to recreate the texture of a men’s shirt that wrinkled after being worn overnight. We applied the material to shirts, skirts and jackets, but I also bring leather vinyl and lambskin to the collection. I love creating items that men and women can really wear on the street,” says Brönström .

The unisex collection features a sexy dark brown crumpled leather look for both men and women. Cyclists wear heavy black boots, either with a jacket with the word VOLTAIRE embossed on the chest, with trousers paired with a black perforated overalls, or with leggings worn under a miniskirt or light skirt.

The brand clearly wants to go full speed in this area. “It’s a niche that suits us and has great potential,” said Rémy Baume, CEO of the brand, who smiled at the end of the event. “This fashion show showcased what we’re capable of in this area. And our expertise. Jordan Henrion (brand image and communications director) made it a very special, extraordinary moment.”

The show received a lot of media attention, and for the brand that claims to have recorded double-digit growth in 2022, also generated controversy of its own. An artist in Berlin has reached out to the press to clarify that the idea for the burning fountain was taken from one of his works created in 2019. The similarities are uncanny. “I thought this would be a problem, but it’s not,” the CEO evaded. “Several artists have interpreted this theme, for example this theme can also be found in the fireworks shows in Versailles. For us, there is no problem.”

Another important goal of Zadig & Voltaire The design team has highlighted a range of shoe accessories, but especially handbags. As a result, the brand’s new Moonwalk bag comes in a variety of colors, decorated with different types of buckles, rhinestones or details, as well as different materials. The Cecilia bag, renamed Obsession, is now made of suppler leather than before. To escape on the road, bikers also carry 48-hour leather bags. Various leather items have been introduced throughout the collection, which is understandable as the group is aiming to achieve sales of 550 million euros by 2025, half of which will come from its accessories. A mini version of the Moonwalk bag was even worn during the show’s ending. Could this new product become the brand’s future bestseller?