Unconventional Venues: French Brand Koché Chooses Manhattan’s Strand Bookstore for Its Runway Show

Koché, the French brand known for its innovative cuts and couture streetwear spirit, never ceases to surprise us. The brand’s artistic director, Christelle Kocher, has announced that its next runway show will take place at the iconic Strand Bookstore, Manhattan’s legendary bookstore.

More and more designers are choosing to showcase their collections in unconventional or historically significant locations. Let’s take a closer look at this desire for spontaneity in a fashion world that is sometimes still too rooted in traditional scenography.

Unconventional Venues: Koché Sets Up Shop in a Bookstore

It is indeed at the Strand Bookstore in Manhattan that the next Koché runway show will take place. An unexpected choice, as the brand will present its collection this season in the United States, but one that reflects a desire to tell a story. The artistic director recently explained in an interview with Fashion Network that she wishes “to pay tribute to this incredible city, to literature, and to the great authors gathered within these walls, from Hemingway to Sylvia Plath.” However, the silhouettes themselves will remain distinctly Parisian.

This isn’t the first time the brand has chosen an unconventional venue to showcase its collections: last year, it opted for a Gothic church to present silhouettes inspired by PSG — suddenly transformed into modern-day biblical icons. Two years ago, models strutted through a completely dilapidated Parisian covered passage, donning zebra-print parkas amidst customers of Afro hair salons.

A clever blend of storytelling, mystery, and spontaneity, reflecting the playful and whimsical spirit of this brand.

Unconventional Venues: Already Seen on the Runways

Koché is not the only brand to have chosen to host its runway shows in unexpected locations.

In 2013, Marseille-born designer Simon Porte Jacquemus took over the edge of an Olympic swimming pool in Paris’s 11th arrondissement.

But we also think of the house of Chanel, which for several seasons has made its show venues a signature feature (most recently, the Métiers d’Art show was held at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg): it is undoubtedly the brand that, through its scenography and its desire to tell a story, makes us dream the most.

Unconventional Venues: A Growing Demand

More and more designers want to stand out during fashion weeks and turn to professional agencies to find the perfect venue that will bring their silhouettes to life.

The main challenge? Delivering a message that aligns with the collection while creating impactful news and sending a strong signal to clients. It’s often thanks to increasingly exclusive and unexpected locations that your runway show will be remembered. Bureau Betak, led by Alexandre de Betak—nicknamed “The Man of 1,000 Shows”—understands this well: scenography is the key.

With Make It Happen, break free from the rules and carve your own path. We are here to offer you ideas for unique venues and unconventional settings that represent you as much as they elevate you.