For Spring/Summer '26, Études Studio designers Aurélien Arbet and Jérémie Egry turned the Palais de Tokyo into a moving art show. Their collection, called 'Surroundings', changed the large, industrial space into a live artwork. With music played live by percussionist Amélie Grould, the models walked in a spiral, clearly inspired by artist Robert Smithson's Land Art. Around them were sculptures made from reused materials, inspired by artist Robert Smithson’s famous Spiral Jetty. Études Studio has always seen fashion as more than just clothing, and the designers continued to mix art with practicality. Inspired by Land Art, not just in how it looks, but in how it approaches clothing, the pieces felt like landscapes, shaped by use, marked by time, and carrying a sense of movement and memory.
The clothes combined opposites: rough and smooth, practical and artistic, inspired by both nature and the artist studio. There were cotton jackets in earthy colors like ochre and charcoal, and coats with raw edges and metal details, big pockets, visible zippers, and leather boots, giving the outfits a strong, grounded look. Some pieces were softer and lighter, like loose soft cotton shirts, shiny bomber jackets with denim, and hooded tops worn over fine knits. Many fabrics, like the faded denim and mohair, were selected for their texture and strength and are organic or recycled. Some are designed to look worn, with fading or rough details, as if they’ve already been lived in. The designs mix city streetstyle with outdoor practicality; workwear suits with removable tool belts, and lightweight coats, all given a refined touch. Some pieces fit closely to the body, while others are loose and comfortable. Practical features are combined with contemporary tailoring, like layered coats and relaxed shapes, while the styling brings it to another level.
Among the looks, Études Studio collaborated with U.S. based South Korean artist Maia Ruth Lee, whose work is made in three steps. First, she creates 'Bondage Baggage', textiles wrapped in wire and dabbed with paint. Then she unfolds them, forming a kind of imaginary map. Two of these pieces were chosen to print on the clothes, creating two colorful looks in red, black, and blue on white, inspired by the Colorado-based artist.
The collection also included some looks featuring words, either embroidered or printed on T-shirts, scarves, and bandanas. Phrases like 'Alternatives are Possible', 'Second Nature', and 'Structure of Feeling', turned the garments into a visual language, linking what you wear to ideas. They act as gentle reminders, clothes as a form of language, fashion as part of a larger conversation with the world, making the body part of the message, not just a display.
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