When guests arrived at Drew Henry’s Courrèges debut on Wednesday morning at Palais de Tokyo, they were met with a particularly pared-back set. Gone was the white box and conceptual show backdrop in the Carreau du Temple used by his predecessor, Nicolas Di Felice. “I wanted something very simple for the venue, and the focus to be on the clothes, on the casting.” Henry told Vogue ahead of the show.
The collection was extremely colorful: neon yellow, acid green, tangerine, burgundy, navy and more, a far cry from the more minimalist palette of the house’s recent years. “Diving into the archives, I was struck by how colorful this brand is,” Henry said. “There’s so much joy, playfulness, but also a strong sense of sentimentality.”
After some difficult years of creative purgatory, Courrèges — founded by André Courrèges and his wife Coqueline in 1961 — saw renewed momentum during Di Felice’s five-ish-year tenure. (The designer exited in March this year.) Di Felice brought a youthful feel to the house, re-issuing its iconic vinyl skirts and jackets, at more accessible price points to attract aspirational consumers.
But, much like its competitors, Courrèges has faced headwinds amid softer demand and younger consumers pulling back spending. The brand appointed current CEO Marie LeBlanc, formerly of Victoria Beckham, in 2024 to help steer sales.
Henry has a tough gig. He has not been brought in to save the house; his predecessor was revered for his work and the distinctly sexy, futuristic minimalism that became known as the brand’s codes. While many insiders shared positive feedback, the post-show chatter painted a balanced picture: some are unsure of the new direction, feeling the departure of Di Felice.
“I think it was a hard collection to step into because we’re not coming from a house that was destroyed,” designer and journalist Edward Buchanan acknowledged post-show. “What happened before was amazing. But it was nice to have a fresh approach and his own approach, and that started with color. It [may bring] a consumer that might not have been interested in the Courrèges before, because it’s sitting in a different place.”
Here’s what other industry insiders had to say.
Osama Chabbi, fashion broadcaster and commentator
It was a more wearable Courrèges. I appreciated that he steered away from the futurist aesthetic that Nicolas had leveraged from André Courreges.
I liked the first part of the collection — I found it was lifestyle and it was alive. It felt very real life, but then I think it got a little too playful toward the end for my liking.
Maybe it’s just a change, and we need to get used to it.
Michaël Amzalag, co-founder, creative agency M/M
It’s a very hard exercise to follow a successful tenure in a house with such restrictive codes. Somehow, the simpler pieces landed more instantly, colors felt fresh. I can see where he’s trying to go. It might take some time to fully establish his own codes, but we should allow him some space.
Anna Trevelyan, stylist
I’m excited by it. I’m looking forward to [Henry’s] tenure at the brand. The color palette was really gorgeous — the deep navy blues into the neon greens with a touch of red. I love those colors that don’t really go together, but really go together. And then I heard that some of the shoes were taken from the archive; they’re not all brand new, which is interesting.
Tiffany Hsu, chief buying and group fashion venture officer, Mytheresa
There’s a compelling mix of sophisticated tailoring and sporty, more instinctive silhouettes that gives the collection a new sense of energy. The customer is still revealing themselves, which makes it all the more intriguing. For now, I’d say: watch this space.
Astrid Boutot, women’s buying and fashion director, The Webster
It felt like a refresh, and it was something very different. Being based in Miami, we liked the Art Deco colors — the pastel, the pinks. There was a lot to see at the show, because there were a lot of layers and jackets, so I’d like to see what’s underneath. We’re looking forward to seeing more details.
Philippe Pourhashemi, journalist
It was a high-energy debut collection, which reformulated the codes of Courrèges in an upbeat and contemporary way. I loved Drew Henry’s use of color, texture and proportion, as well as the shoes and bags, which felt new for the brand. There was something playful and innocent about the collection as well, which fits the optimism associated with the brand.