Jeanne Friot runway show at the Théâtre du Rond-Point, Paris. BENOIT TESSIER/REUTERS How can independent brands stand out against giants like Vuitton or Dior? On January 20 and 21, during Paris men’s fashion week for autumn-winter 2026-2027, three French brands – Etudes Studio, Jeanne Friot, and Lemaire – opted for a similar formula: presenting in a cultural venue and staging their collections with a theatrical touch. The Etudes Studio duo invited their guests to the Espace de projection at IRCAM, an underground listening space belonging to the renowned research center devoted to sound technologies. “We wanted a total experience,” said co-founder Aurélien Arbet. At the center of the room, British electronic musician Actress played an acidic and captivating mixtape, a backdrop for a cautious, well-balanced urban collection. “The artists who inspired us all treated sound as a material in its own right,” explained Jérémie Egry, the other half of the duo, citing figures from John Cage and Brian Eno to Aphex Twin. Models donned retro headphones, rave-inspired jackets – some with iridescent finishes – psychedelic …