A/POLITICAL presented the highly anticipated debut runway show of Coucou Bebe 75018, titled TESTOSTERONE, during Paris Fashion Week at the iconic Elysée Montmartre.
This groundbreaking event, inspired by the complete works of artist Pyotr Pavlensky, merged high fashion and mixed martial arts (MMA) in an epic spectacle that redefined the boundaries of a traditional fashion show.
TESTOSTERONE
TESTOSTERONE drew its name from the hormone that symbolizes power, aggression, and vitality, weaving these themes into an exploration of masculinity for the Menswear Fall/Winter 2025 collection. The entire presentation was inspired by the artwork and practice of Pyotr Pavlensky, whose work is represented under the stewardship of A/POLITICAL. Coucou Bebe and Pyotr Pavlensky share a hallucinatory quality in their work whereby people do not believe what they are seeing is real.
For the first time, high fashion collided with mixed martial arts, a sport only legalized in France in 2020, to create a groundbreaking transgression in the fashion world.
The classic runway became the walkway for the fighters to enter the cage, the epicenter for both physical and symbolic clashes. Eight fighters battled in four fights, each consisting of three one-minute rounds, brought to life by HEXAGONE MMA. The fighters, the corner teams and the officials were dressed.
Showcasing fights that seamlessly underscored the primal power of physical endurance, the card featured French household names: veteran Anthony Dizy, multiple world grappling champion Alexis Fontes, veteran Muay Thai World Champion Mike Wasserman and national MMA champion and world medallist Sambo Sima alongside Nicolae Bivol, Théo Ulrich, Lazaro Maza Blanco and Shekibullah Warris.
Coucoubebe
COLLECTION NOTES
The TESTOSTERONE collection introduced bold, innovative silhouettes, including signature bombers and masterfully crafted leather pieces, the garments embodied a rugged yet avant-garde spirit. Accessories such as belts adorned with the brand’s iconic “charms” embellishments and key chains added intricate detail and playfulness. The collection exemplified Coucou Bebe’s commitment to merging raw intensity with a stripped-back aesthetic, presenting an atmosphere of raw minimalism while retaining the provocative, hallucinatory edge that defines his work. Unlike his previous collections, where his messages were often purposely woven with glitches and internet spam-like distractions, this time he presented a focused narrative from start to finish, based entirely on the artwork of Pyotr Pavlensky
“I stand for absolute artistic freedom, and therefore I welcome it when artists, fashion designers, and other representatives of various arts and crafts give each other completely free access to their artworks and allow them to be used without any restrictions. Because artistic freedom is above all in this world.”
– Pyotr Pavlensky
Central to the collection were striking prints inspired by Pyotr Pavlensky’s work. Iconic visuals included SEAM, his stitched-mouth portrait—a powerful allusion to the wider implications of Pavlensky’s art on society and the individual. Other visuals featured meteorites inscribed with the phrase “God of Chaos, the city killer,” satirical nods to plastic surgery culture, and reimaginings of Pavlensky as a professor, here to educate. These elements were rendered with Coucou Bebe’s signature reinterpretative flair, challenging the boundaries of traditional menswear.
Further enriching the visual narrative were references to emblematic French institutions. Fonts reminiscent of the Police Nationale, BFMTV, and the Fleury-Mérogis prison lent the collection a subversive edge, embedding layers of commentary on authority, media, and the intersection of power and art.
Together, these elements underscored the shared disruptive approaches of Kanoush and Pyotr Pavlensky in their respective fields. TESTOSTERONE was not just a collection; it was a manifesto—a biting critique of identity, rebellion, and resistance delivered through the raw combativeness of fighters and the provocative designs of Coucou Bebe.
Coucou Bebe’s work has always embodied duality—a designer in constant questioning around media, artistic institutions, and societal conventions. TESTOSTERONE highlighted this ongoing battle through the raw, physical combat of fighters, creating a layered commentary on rebellion and resistance. This was not just a fashion show; it was a transgression and an innovative vision on identity, power, and the unexpected intersections between them.
Following the show, an exclusive After Party was held at the venue, sponsored by Café Bianca. Known for its vibrant ambiance and refined offerings, Café Bianca brought its signature touch to the evening, creating an unforgettable celebration of creativity and style. The after party extended the energy and excitement of the night, allowing attendees to fully immerse themselves in the world of Coucou Bebe 75018.
ABOUT A/POLITICAL
A/POLITICAL exists in the space between what is permissible and what is prohibited, engaging with artists who interrogate the dominant narratives of our time. Motivated by impossible ideas, A/POLITICAL produces large-scale, confrontational, and boundary-pushing projects and holds the largest collection of socio-political art in the world. The collection includes works by artists such as Ai Weiwei, Marina Abramović, Barbara Kruger, the Chapman Brothers and Santiago Sierra. Recent collaborations include The Game with Andres Serrano, Dead Man’s Switch with Andrei Molodkin and The Visitor with Bruce La Bruce. A/POLITICAL is based in London working closely with The Foundry and La Ralliere, Midi-Pyrenees. www.a-political.org / @apoliticalorg on social media.
ABOUT COUCOU BEBE
Coucou Bebe is a young French designer renowned for rewriting the strict conventions of the fashion world. His creations resemble collages, blending influences from childhood nostalgia, current affairs, and high fashion tropes to evoke a sense of surprise and disbelief. Each piece challenges traditional expectations, offering a fresh and provocative take on contemporary culture. His distinctive vision has drawn the attention of global icons such as A$AP Rocky, A$AP Nast, 21 Savage, Madonna, and Quavo. This recognition culminated in his role as lead designer for the AWGE show (A$AP Rocky’s brand) in Paris last June, further solidifying his reputation as a bold and innovative force in fashion.
ABOUT HEXAGONE MMA
Homegrown French promoter HEXAGONE MMA offers spectacular mixed martial arts fights at a high level. Renowned for showcasing international stars alongside a new generation of upcoming talent, HEXAGONE MMA is broadcast on RMC in France and in over 150 countries worldwide. Founded after the recent legalization of MMA in France in 2020, HEXAGONE MMA broke onto the Parisian scene with iconic events at the Paris-La-Défense-Arena and the Zénith, before expanding into the French provinces for stellar shows at the ancient Roman theatre of Orange and the ‘French Seville’ of Beziers Arena, France’s original bullfighting ring. Further events in Dubai, the Netherlands, and Germany have consolidated HEXAGONE MMA’s status as a rising league in Europe. The 2025 season of HEXAGONE MMA includes major French cities such as Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nantes, and Lille, as well as European countries like the UK, Germany, Belgium, and Hungary. www.hexagonemma.fr / @hexagonemmafr
ABOUT PYOTR PAVLENSKY
Pyotr Pavlensky is an artist, born in Leningrad in 1984. He studied at the Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design in the Department of Monumental Painting. Since 2012, Pavlensky began his artistic practice, which by 2019 he had found the most accurate name for: “Subject-Object Art.” Since 2021, he has been formulating several categories and theoretical foundations that he is currently consolidating in his upcoming book “Theory of Subject-Object Art.” Pavlensky left Russia in 2017 due to censorship and repetitive prosecution by the Russian authorities. He now lives in Paris, France, where he has been granted political asylum.
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