Coperni Shuts Down After Eight Years. What Happened Between the Founders and Their Distributor

2 min read

Illustration: Nightlife Report

Nightlife Report · Fashion Desk · Lillith Magic · Directed by Anthony Perlas

Coperni, the Paris label known for some of the most talked-about runway moments of the decade, has ceased operations. Co-founders and creative directors Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer said they couldn’t resolve a long dispute over unpaid sums with Tomorrow, the brand’s distributor and majority shareholder (Vogue).

What did the Coperni founders say?

In a memo shared with Vogue Business, the pair wrote: “These eight years have been extraordinary. Coperni has always been a collective adventure, and we are immensely proud of what we have created.” They thanked the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, stores, buyers, press, models and supporters, and added that “we look ahead with optimism and plenty of ideas” (Vogue).

Why did Coperni close?

According to Vogue, Tomorrow acted as Coperni’s licensor and distributor: it collected revenue and paid royalties back to the brand, and reimbursed costs like shows and campaigns. Coperni says those payments stopped as Tomorrow’s wholesale business struggled, and that Tomorrow terminated its licensing agreement. Coperni canceled its Fall/Winter 2026 Paris show, secured court protection in Paris in June, and the founders tried to buy the brand back after Tomorrow was sold to Progetto 11 in March (Vogue).

The company that is closing is Coperni SAS, the French operating company. Tomorrow still holds the brand’s intellectual property, so the Coperni name could continue under its control (FashionNetwork).

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Why does Coperni matter?

The label built its name on viral, tech-forward moments, including runway and red-carpet looks worn by Bella Hadid and Kylie Jenner (W Magazine). It’s also not the only Tomorrow brand hit: Martine Rose said in March that she couldn’t produce her upcoming collection for reasons outside her control (Vogue).

The Nightlife Report take

Coperni is a hard lesson for every independent designer: own your name, and know who holds your money. The founders kept the ideas, but the business ran through a partner they couldn’t control. Yesterday we covered another reshuffle in Nanushka’s store closures and Style Capital’s N21 deal. Fashion’s middle tier is being rebuilt this year, and the labels that survive will be the ones that control their own distribution.

FAQ

Is Coperni closing? Yes. Coperni SAS, the operating company, has ceased operations, per the founders.

Who founded Coperni? Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer.

Could the Coperni name come back? Possibly. Tomorrow still holds the brand’s intellectual property.

Your move: Building a label in LA? Trade notes with designers and creatives in the Nightlife Report Discord. Book a Lillith Magic shoot for campaign imagery you own outright, follow @lillithmagic, and get the full read on Patreon.

Lillith Magic · Directed by Anthony Perlas · Nightlife Report

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