Longtime friends and business partners Joshua Cooper and Laurence Chandler formed Rochambeau (which is French for the popular game rock-paper-scissors) in 2007, fulfilling a lifelong dream of stepping into the fashion industry to share their love of design and, in particular, their similar vision for men's fashion with the world. Emerging from a family background in the print industry (Proof7), a sector closely related to the fashion industry, they cultivated relationships taking plenty of notes along the way. They have now been joined by David DeStefano. In September 2011, Rochambeau was hand picked by Jenne Lombardo, Global Fashion Director of W Hotels, to participate in the 3rd season of the Fashion Next program. Rochambeau was able to present their SS12 collection in The Box at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, allowing them to reach a more global audience. The collection was inspired more by the attitude of the wearer than any specific reference. It was about the juxtaposition of a man who cares deeply about clothes but once he is wearing something, he completely forgets about it as it fuses with his natural self. The clothes have the nonchalance of something owned forever and this is how the Rochambeau man carries himself. The collection combined high quality structural suiting with lightweight textural layers to create a look that was at once composed and effortless. The palette was based in neutrals to convey the austerity of urban life. The construction of the pieces utilized architectural cuts as well as natural contour to convey the wearer's thoughtful but intuitive approach to fashion. The designers wanted to add this effortless touch to emblematic pieces, but as classic as the vests, blazers and flare mid-waist pants are; the impressive details like leather lapel accents on the blazers or the elongated silhouettes added the urban vibe concept to what everybody thought was classic, seems like a thoughtful deconstruction by revealing something and conducting it to another aesthetics. The collection was inspired by the idea of an urban wanderer. However, it was more than just an idea of metropolis, it applied directly to New York City, which made sense because Rochambeau is a self-proclaimed NYC-based brand produced by New Yorkers.
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