Coperni is closing its operations after co-founders Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer failed to reach an agreement with the brand’s majority shareholder and exclusive distributor, Tomorrow Ltd. The French fashion label confirmed that its principal operating company, Coperni SAS, will cease business activities following months of negotiations, financial difficulties and disputes over unpaid sums. The announcement brings an end to eight years of work under the designers’ current business structure.
NEWS
The decision follows a prolonged conflict between Coperni and Tomorrow over outstanding payments and the terms of their licensing agreement. According to the founders, Tomorrow stopped paying sums owed to the brand, creating serious financial difficulties for the company’s operations. Tomorrow subsequently terminated its licensing agreement, further complicating the relationship between the two businesses.
The financial conflict escalated earlier this year when Coperni sought protection from a commercial court in Paris. The proceedings allowed the company to continue operating while its founders explored possible solutions to the dispute and attempted to secure the brand’s future. At the centre of the conflict stood Tomorrow’s dual position as Coperni’s exclusive distributor and majority shareholder. This arrangement gave the company a significant role in the brand’s commercial operations, making the disagreement particularly difficult for the founders to resolve.
The situation became more complicated following Tomorrow’s acquisition by Progetto 11, the holding company associated with The Level Group. The ownership change introduced additional questions surrounding the company’s governance and financial responsibilities.
Vaillant and Meyer attempted to regain control of Coperni by buying back the label. However, negotiations failed to produce an agreement that would allow the business to continue under their direction.
The deteriorating relationship also affected Coperni’s fashion calendar. The brand cancelled its Fall Winter 2026 runway presentation as financial pressures and disagreements with its business partner continued.
View this post on Instagram
Despite efforts to resolve the situation, the founders ultimately announced that Coperni SAS would stop operating. The closure follows a period during which the designers sought to protect their business while maintaining control over its creative direction.
In their announcement, the designers reflected on the work they developed together and the people who contributed to Coperni over the past eight years. “These eight years have been extraordinary. Coperni has always been a collective adventure, and we are immensely proud of what we have created,” the founders shared. Their message also acknowledged the increasingly difficult conditions facing the fashion industry. Throughout the dispute, Vaillant and Meyer continued pursuing a solution that could preserve the label, although their negotiations ultimately reached an impasse.
The founders expressed optimism about their creative future, suggesting that the end of Coperni’s current operations would not necessarily mark the end of their work together. The announcement confirms the closure of Coperni SAS following the unsuccessful negotiations with Tomorrow. However, the founders have yet to announce a new project or explain whether they intend to pursue another arrangement involving the brand.
For now, the decision concludes a difficult period for the French label, whose future became increasingly uncertain as financial and governance disagreements continued. Vaillant and Meyer leave the current chapter with an emphasis on the ideas they still hope to develop, expressing their intention to continue creating beyond Coperni’s closure.
