Laces of Frills: BRANDS // THE KOOPLES

During my short but sweet time in Paris, being a shopaholic, it was inevitable for me not to window shop at least. So, I was able to see what French fashion is all about. I unconsciously draw inspirations from them without knowing (but that's another topic). Paris doesn't have malls instead they have streets after streets filled with boutiques or department stores that house different brands. I lived in a walking distance from Galeries Lafayette at the Opera and right beside it had Printemps that was introduced to me by Florence. Printemps housed designer brands so it could be compared to Holt Renfrew.

There I discovered The Kooples. It was founded by the Elicha brothers (Alexandre, Laurent & Raphael), who drew their inspiration from Saville Row, which is a street in Mayfair, London, made famous for its bespoke tailoring. The name is derived from a Franglais neologism pronounced Coo-pels with a French accent. What makes this brand different from all the other brands is the philosophy behind it all: that couples frequently borrow each other's clothes: so there is a men's and a women's collection that are supposed to appear interchangeable. The designers purport to create classics with a cool twist, but the result is an unimpressive range of separates, trimmed with token skull details in an attempt to give them an avant-garde edge. So, in essence, at the end of the day, there is a fine line between male and female and that it creates an androgynous feel. Now, that it has made it's way to NYC, hopefully, it'll come over to Canada soon!

"It's a bit English dandy, a bit rock'n'roll, with a bit of French chic and je ne sais quoi," explains Alexandre, who does most of the talking. "A bit Duke of Edinburgh and a bit Rolling Stones. When we opened in Paris everyone thought it was very English, but in Britain everyone thinks it's very Parisian."