HERITAGE IN MOTION: 3.PARADIS SS25 COLLECTION FUSES CAMEROONIAN ROOTS WITH GLOBAL MODERNITY

3.PARADIS’ Spring/Summer 2025 collection is a masterclass in cultural storytelling–one that threads identity, nostalgia, and contemporary elegance into a dynamic, wearable narrative. At the heart of the collection is creative director Emeric Tchatchoua’s unshakable connection to his ancestral village of Bangangté in Cameroon. For SS25, Tchatchoua reaches into his roots and unearths the traditional red-and-yellow damier pattern, a vibrant checkerboard motif synonymous with his heritage, reinterpreting it across an array of silhouettes that are as bold in spirit as they are refined in execution.

But this isn’t just another fashion drop–it’s a deeply personal exploration of memory, masculinity, and belonging. Rather than simply reference the past, Tchatchoua brought it into the present by casting six men he grew up with in Paris as the heart of the campaign. These weren’t anonymous models, but real people embodying real emotion. Their presence added raw authenticity to the collection’s visual narrative, a brotherhood-in-motion that spoke volumes about community, resilience, and the shared experience of diasporic identity.

The garments pulse with this emotional richness. Jackets, trousers, shirts, and overcoats integrate the red-and-yellow damier in ways that feel fresh yet rooted. There’s an unmistakable reverence in the way Tchatchoua handles his cultural signifiers, treating each print and texture like an heirloom. But the collection is never stuck in the past. It looks forward too, especially reflected in the collaboration with French artist Johanna Tardjman, whose expressive illustrations of everyday people are stitched into select pieces. These portraits add humanity and warmth, grounding the collection in lived experience.

Innovation also plays a starring role in SS25. Tchatchoua collaborated with Les Teintures de France to develop 3D lenticular printing for the collection, a futuristic technique that allows imagery to shift with movement. The result? Garments that literally transform as you walk, reflecting the idea that identity is fluid, layered, and ever-evolving. Even sustainability was prioritized in the development process, marrying ecological consciousness with artistic expression.

The Motorola Razr–yes, the iconic early-2000s flip phone–makes a surprising cameo throughout the drop. Far from a gimmick, it’s a nostalgic anchor, symbolizing the intersection of style, technology, and an age barely gone by. For Tchatchoua, it evokes a simpler time when individuality was first being carved out through aesthetics and pop culture. It’s this deep layering of personal references that gives the collection its emotional weight.

SS25 also taps into the global reach of sports and pop culture, partnering with major players like the NBA, Jordan Brand, and Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. These collaborations don’t distract from the core themes–they elevate them. By intersecting Black diasporic expression with the visual language of sportswear, 3.PARADIS bridges streetwear with high fashion, past with present, local with global.

The collection also made a major splash at the 2025 Met Gala, where it aligned seamlessly with the evening’s theme: “Black Dandyism and Afro-Diasporic Elegance.” One of the night’s most talked-about appearances came from Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who stunned in a custom 3.PARADIS look. Her ensemble–a sharply tailored black jacket with reflective embellishments, crisp white shirt and tie, matching handbag, and knee-high boots–was a powerful tribute to both ancestral pride and contemporary flair. Her presence in 3.PARADIS not only turned heads, it affirmed the brand’s cultural and artistic clout on a global stage.

While the collection was officially unveiled at Paris Fashion Week in June 2024, the pieces are expected to be available through select high-end stockists and the brand’s online store in early 2025. For now, the fashion world is watching closely, eager to wear not just a collection, but a story–one woven from identity, history, and vision.

In every way, 3.PARADIS Spring/Summer 2025 is fashion at its most meaningful. It’s not just a showcase of garments–it’s a lived experience. Tchatchoua isn’t designing clothes; he’s crafting memory, emotion, and movement. SS25 stands as a beacon of what fashion can become when heritage is honored, identity is foregrounded, and innovation is embraced. This is a collection not meant to be worn quietly–it’s meant to be felt.