I have such an affinity for Tim Coppens and his weird tech Euro design ethos. I'm known on this side of the office for my track pants selection, which Timmy is a strong proponent of, so I feel like we would get along assuming, of course, we were talking about track pants. Following the news that Coppens is nominated for the CFDA's 2015 Menswear Designer of the Year award, it's clear that Coppens is geared up for some much-deserved attention. Subsequently, The Wall Street Journal visited his SoHo office to chat with the man himself.
Last year, Coppens won the CFDA's Swarovski Award for Menswear which honors emerging designers, so it's only fitting he's nominated for the big boy shit this time around. It also shows how diverse the menswear taste palate has become in the last few years, especially since Coppens started his label in 2011, when most dudes were still recovering from their Americana hangover. In case you don't know his story, Coppen honed his skill at sporty design posts at both Adidas and RLX, Ralph Lauren's sportier, alpine collection and you can clearly see the influence on his own brand's designs. Granted, the Coppens look wasn't a easy sell in America or in New York, his base of operations. Now, it's growing into its own and Coppens is even designing womenswear as well. While his signature zipper details have gotten popular, he's had to be careful in his new designs, experimenting with vintage fabrics and mixing the likes of cashmere and neoprene together. Whether or not he takes home the CFDA hardware this time around, rest assured the nomination will only continue to spark Coppens' growth.
