Tragic news for fans of futuristic French style. As of Wednesday morning, Nov. 4, Coperni is officially shutting down its operations — at least for now, that is. Co-founders and Creative Directors Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer shared a lengthy statement to Instagram, announcing its closure, which they say is due to an unresolvable battle with the Paris-based brand’s shareholder and distributor.
The conflict first became public early this year, when Coperni abruptly canceled its Fall/Winter 2026 runway show at Paris Fashion Week, with Vaillant and Meyer citing a “deteriorating” relationship with prominent fashion distributor, Tomorrow. In March, Tomorrow LTD was sold to Progetto 11, and in an effort to regain control of their brand, Coperni was placed under receivership protection by the French court in June. However, it appears that months later, the tech-chic label was not able to recover the financial blow or repair its relationship with distribution. The announcement of its closure on Wednesday seems to be the final chapter of the months-long conflict.
“Over the past few months, we have tried everything to preserve Coperni and find a resolution to the conflict with our shareholder and distributor, Tomorrow,” the design duo’s statement reads. “After suspending invoice payments with impunity, Tomorrow has now unilaterally terminated our licensing agreement. Despite all our efforts, no solution could be found. It is with profound sadness that we announce today that Coperni SAS is ceasing operations.”
JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP/Getty Images
Coperni was first launched in 2013, but took a hiatus while Vaillant and Meyer took over as co-artistic directors for Courrèges from 2015 to 2017. In 2019, the brand was reinstated and quickly grew its following, earning the approval of A-listers like Rihanna and Doja Cat who flocked to its technology-meets-fashion approach, including its best-known Swipe bag, modeled after the iPhone’s “swipe-to-unlock” icon. More causal fashion fans may remember other major moments by the brand, including Kylie Jenner closing its Spring/Summer 2025 Disneyland Paris-set runway show or Bella Hadid having a dress sprayed onto her body for Spring/Summer 2023.
While Vaillant and Meyer’s statement on Instagram may feel final, there is hope for the future of Coperni. In a personal email to Vogue Business, the co-founders hinted that their vision wasn’t ending here. “As the world becomes increasingly challenging, particularly in the fashion industry, we believe there is still so much to create and reinvent,” the email stated. “Innovation has always been our passion and a priority in everything we do. We look ahead with optimism and plenty of ideas, and cannot wait to share them with you.” And on that note, we cannot wait to see what’s next.
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