After eight years of redefining the relationship between fashion and technology, French fashion label Coperni is officially ceasing operations. Founders Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer announced the decision on 4 November 2026, following months of financial difficulties and an unresolved dispute with Tomorrow Ltd, the brand’s majority shareholder and exclusive distributor.
Known for its futuristic aesthetic, experimental runway presentations and innovative approach to fashion, Coperni has become one of the most recognisable names in contemporary French fashion. However, behind its viral fashion moments and growing international profile, a business dispute was quietly unfolding, ultimately bringing the brand’s operations to an end.
Why Is Coperni Closing?
The closure follows a prolonged disagreement between Coperni’s co-founders and Tomorrow Ltd, the fashion development platform that has held a majority stake in the brand and managed its production and distribution since 2019.
According to the founders, Tomorrow had stopped paying licensing fees and other sums owed to Coperni, placing significant financial pressure on the business. The situation reportedly affected the brand’s ability to pay partners and suppliers, making it increasingly difficult to maintain the day-to-day operations of its design studio.
In June 2026, Coperni entered court-supervised receivership after the Paris Commercial Court granted the company protection from creditors. The proceedings were intended to give the label an opportunity to restructure its finances, protect its employees and secure a sustainable future.
Meanwhile, Vaillant and Meyer were seeking to regain control of their company and find new financial backers. Their relationship with Tomorrow had already deteriorated, leading Coperni to withdraw from Paris Fashion Week in March. The brand subsequently remained absent from the Fall 2027 season.
The situation became more complicated following Tomorrow’s change in ownership. In March 2026, the company was acquired by Progetto 11, the holding company of Italian e-commerce group The Level Group. The transaction also marked the departure of Tomorrow’s previous shareholders, including founder Stefano Martinetto and Three Hills Capital Partners.
Despite efforts to negotiate a resolution with the company’s new ownership, the founders were ultimately unable to reach an agreement.
In their statement, Vaillant and Meyer confirmed that Coperni SAS would cease operations, expressing their sadness at the decision after months of attempting to preserve the business.
What Happens to Coperni Now?
The closure raises questions about the future of the Coperni name, particularly given Tomorrow’s majority ownership of the brand. It remains unclear whether Progetto 11, through its ownership of Tomorrow, intends to continue developing or licensing the label.
For now, the founders’ announcement marks the end of Coperni’s current operations, although it does not necessarily mean that the brand name will disappear permanently.
In their farewell statement, Vaillant and Meyer reflected on the eight years they had spent building the label, expressing gratitude to their teams, factories, collaborators and supporters who had helped bring their ideas to life.
They also hinted that their creative ambitions remain far from exhausted, writing that there is still so much they want to explore and reinvent.
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