Premiere Classe, the Paris tradeshow, calls itself “the barometer of the accessories market” and supports the claim by consistently exhibiting an array of talent doing business just outside the glaring fashion spotlight. French designer Jerome Dreyfuss is one case in point. Since he abandoned his ready-to-wear collection in 2002 to focus on his accessories line, Dreyfuss’ utility bags have been a standout at Premiere Classe. A few seasons later, his collection has strategically expanded. He’s kept to a limited number of shapes (ringo,bandit, weva,bobi, bonnie, clyde and yodi) mixing leather, quilted jersey, satin, and velvet in rich maroon, tabac, and chocolate colors to create some of the coolest bags around. Trendy doesn’t exactly define them — they just seem right. The brand sells at Onward in Tokyo, Oxygene in Miami, and Printemps in Paris. Another spot-on success in its third season showing at Premiere Classe is two-year-old United Nude, a shoe line from a collaboration of Dutch architect Rem D Koolhaas (the nephew of the same name architect) and English shoemaker Galahad JD Clark (offspring of those shoe Clarks). United Nude designs iconic footwear that’s decidedly architectural and eschews broad seasonal ranges. Their very successful Mobius and Ribbon conceptual shoes are joined this season by United Nude Naked, Fold, Sharpei and Eames, all future forward shoe designs. In addition to their store in New York’s Nolita, the brand sells to over 100 retailers worldwide. Paris-based Maloles‘ charming post-war retro chic chaussures puts them squarely in sync with the current demure ready-to-wear taste. At Premiere Classe this month, they garnered considerable attention for their delicate mixes of patent leather, ribboning, and top stitching with unexpected appearances of knits and fur dangling from the front of shoes. None of these quirky blends were lost in translation, L’Eclaireur already has a private label line designed by the brand which also sells at Kirna Zabete in New York and Beams in Tokyo.


-Jason Campbell

Photos: Jerome Dreyfuss fall 2004

United Nude Mobius Shoe
Maloles Fall 2004