Biography
Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant are the French designers behind womenswear label Coperni Femme. In May 2015, the duo were appointed artistic directors of the revamped heritage fashion brand Courrèges, a position they held for just over two years.
Meyer and Vaillant met in 2009 at Mod’Art International Paris, where Meyer studied design and sewing and Vaillant focused on business and fashion management. During their studies, the two collaborated on projects that won awards including Podium Jeune Styliste 2009 and first prize for Mod’Art International 2010.
In 2013, Meyer and Vaillant, the latter of whom had worked at Chanel and Balenciaga, launched Coperni Femme, a womenswear label named after renaissance astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. In 2014, the label won the ANDAM First Collection Prize.
The following year, the duo were approached to breathe new creative life into the historic French 1960s brand Courrèges, which Jacques Bungert and Frederic Torloting had bought in 2011. Meyer and Vaillant were appointed artistic directors, putting their own label on hold and withdrawing from the LVMH Prize, which they had reached the final shortlist for that year.
In February 2019, the duo announced that they would be re-launching Coperni with a lower price point and unisex pieces included, with the help of Tomorrow London chief executive Stefano Martinetto .