Instead of the usual lineup of summer movies, the Max Linder Panorama cinema had mounted posters for Peacemakers, a film from 3.Paradis conceived by founder and designer Emeric Tchatchoua and directed by Med Suleiman.
Once the lights went down, the brand’s alternate show premise proved intriguing: a fictional documentary investigating a covert coalition of peacemakers who were instrumental in brokering the surprise end of an unspecified war. From slick edits of realistic historical footage to testimonials from real people (Sarah Andelman and rapper Oxmo Puccino were both straight-faced as they weighed in on the cultural and sartorial significance of this make-believe movement), the execution was impressive. And naturally, this shadow group were wearing looks from the spring collection. Think tailored jackets, ties, and knee-length shorts when appearing in official situations or else sporty Harrington jackets in colorful checks, expressive tunics, and jeans covered with intricately embroidered doves. Doves being the 3.Paradis logo, there was even a fully beaded T-shirt that riffed on I Love NY, only here it appeared as I Dove You (with a red bird where the heart would be).
Throughout the film, which ran roughly eight minutes, the group’s de facto leader donned dark suits cut slightly ample; yet he seemed even more believable in a race car jacket emblazoned with hopeful words instead of sponsor logos. Prop photos from his youth showed him in a T-shirt that read, “What will it take for us to wake up to peace,” which turned out to be the collection’s overarching message.
Before the screening, Tchatchoua explained, “Peacemakers is basically a metaphor for us, for all young people, to give them the courage to really feel like they could make a change, and that they have the power to influence the world and make everything different.”
In the span of a few seasons, the designer has made clear that world-building is fundamental to the 3.Paradis credo. But it’s just as clear that he’s building a more crafted dimension to the brand and this is what imbues the clothes with gusto. He noted that nearly all the embroidered pieces were accomplished in-house and that his atelier team numbers around seven people. “I always want to step up; I always want to improve my language; I always want to get better,” he said. “I want to push fashion forward, outside of runway shows, and out in the world.”
Once the film ended, a small cohort of models emerged, allowing us to see the looks IRL and how they reflected a wide spectrum of attire. It was in these moments that we could appreciate the subtle trompe l’œil waistbands—like boxers and trousers—and the one-sided roundedness of his jacket hems. Given the stealth role of these Peacemakers (versus the more overt “Peacemaker” branded quilted liner jackets from OAMC in 2019), there was something interesting to the idea that they were united by distinct codes of dress versus a single dress code. According to the poster, this compelling film is “only in theaters, June 24.” Let’s hope, in the spirit of a summer blockbuster, 3.Paradis now makes it available in wider release.