Coperni founders Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer announced Wednesday that the brand will stop operating, saying they could not find a solution after months of efforts to resolve its dispute with Tomorrow, its majority shareholder and exclusive distributor since 2019.
The label entered receivership in June. On June 11, a Paris commercial court granted Coperni’s request for court protection. Vaillant had said the company faced significant financial strain after Tomorrow stopped paying amounts owed to partners and suppliers for several months. The proceedings were intended to give the brand a chance to continue creating, protect its employees and plan for the future.
In their statement to press and retailers, the founders described Coperni’s eight years as extraordinary and said they were proud of what they had built. They also said they still had ideas they wanted to explore and reinvent.
Vaillant and Meyer had sought to regain control of the label. They withdrew from Paris Fashion Week in March amid the dispute and did not take part in the fall 2027 season after Coperni entered receivership.
The dispute unfolded as Tomorrow changed ownership. The company was acquired in March by Progetto 11, the holding company of e-commerce platform The Level Group. The deal included the departure of Tomorrow’s previous shareholders, including founder and chief executive Stefano Martinetto and Three Hills Capital Partners.
Coperni was known for its use of technology and experimental runway formats. Its shows included a presentation at Disneyland Paris featuring Kylie Jenner in a princess gown, as well as a performance in which Bella Hadid was spray-painted with a dress.
Sources: WWD.