Michael Venker, Joshua Cooper and Laurence Chandler of Rochambeau
Michael Venker, Joshua Cooper and Laurence Chandler of Rochambeau

NEW YORK, Dec 1, 2009 / FW/ — Miami Art Basel heats up for fashion with the unveiling of Interview Magazine’s “Fashion” vending machine the include fashion powerhouses like Jil Sander, Dolce & Gabbana, Fred Perry, Lacoste and Kid Robot while also supporting young talents like Rochambeau.

The concept is simple – Interview Magazine has taken over a vending machine at the Mondrian Hotel in Miami and made it their own. They stocked it with items that celebrate 40 years of pop culture – one can find everything from a Jil Sander limited edition “Grande Composition” T-shirt to a limited edition hand-deconstructed jersey tank from Rochambeau.

Oh, did I mention that this “fashion” vending machine is also the 40th anniversary celebration “gift” to itself by Interview Magazine?

Holding its own amongst the famous label are Michael Venker, Joshua Cooper and Laurence Chandler, who are the trio behind the Rochambeau label.

roch_007The Rochambeau team met in 2007 at the Parsons senior thesis show, where that year’s prestigious Golden Thimble winner Michael Venker met Joshua Cooper and Laurence Chandler. The guys connected immediately, bonding over shared love of design and, in particular, their similar vision for men’s fashion.

Together, they began menswear line Rochambeau, which is Egyptian for the popular game rock-paper-scissors.

Cooper and Chandler, both 25, who both met in New York City, are the business core of the team. Venker, age 28, is Rochambeau’s creative director. He moved to Manhattan from Minnesota to study design at Parsons, going on to intern at Marc Jacobs and Helmut Lang and eventually working at the Ermenegildo Zegna showroom.

Through this time, he won the prestigious Golden Thimble award from Parsons and shortly thereafter was called one of the new young and upcoming designers to watch in Women’s Wear Daily. Rochambeau was named in Surface Magazine’s February 2009 issue as one of the top ten up and coming design teams, was featured in Nylon Magazine’s September 2009 issue and are now singled out as new designers to watch by Gotham Magazine in their October 2009 Men’s issue. Most recently their jersey shirts were selected to be part of the Interview Magazine “fashion” vending machine at Art Basel in Miami.

Their look books have also garnered critical acclaim and have been shown in galleries alongside artwork from Victor Demarchelier and Alexandra Richards as well as at the Diesel “Only the Brave” opening party.

Rochambeau Spring 2010

This collection, the label’s fourth, finds its inspiration in the style of dress of the modern day youth of the Hmong tribe in northern Asia. Among youth, mix western garments with their ancestral robes, all worn in a loose and draped manner. This style can be found in the deconstruction of the garments, creating a tattered look as well as in the juxtaposition of draped jersey with structured outerwear pieces.

Rochambeau.us.com

Rochambeau is currently sold at OAK oaknyc.com, Still Life, Elsworth
Rochambeau Spring 2010 will be sold at oki-ni.com