There’s the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfits of the past seven days.
It was the busiest moment of Paris Fashion Week to date. On Friday night, Bella Hadid closed off French label Coperni’s Spring-Summer 2023 show with a spray-on dress in front of a live audience.
The supermodel stepped onto the runway wearing nothing but nude lingerie before Manel Torres – creator of patented spray-in technology, Fabrican – and two scientists applied a misty liquid can transform almost instantly into a wearable material.
For nearly 10 minutes, the guests watched in awe as Torres and his team realized Coperni’s design in real time. To complete the dress, the label’s head of design, Charlotte Raymond, took the stage and gently tweaked the neckline while it was still drying and cut a dramatic leg slit.
The dress has no seams and no hems. And, from a distance, the fabric looks like a plain shirt that seems to move as easily as a t-shirt. But as Hadid completes a lap around the runway, one can see a gentle texture reminiscent of water drops.
Bella Hadid at the Coperni Spring Summer 2023 fashion show. Credit: Julien de Rosa / AFP / Getty Images
“You can wear this dress, keep it like a dress and put it on a hanger. But if you don’t want to anymore, you can put the dress back in the liquid and can immediately spray it again,” the director said. Coperni’s creator and co-founder, Sébastien Meyer, told CNN at the brand’s Paris tailor shop ahead of the show.
The innovative material has been in development since the early 2000s. The short fibers are bonded together with natural and synthetic polymers, then mixed with a liquid solvent that evaporates immediately when the aerosol comes into contact with the skin. or other surfaces, according to a press release from the British company behind the technology. The texture of the fabric can also be adjusted according to the yarn and adhesive used.
The dress was created in just 10 minutes using Fabrican spray paint technology. Credit: Julien de Rosa / AFP / Getty Images
Although the dress won’t go on sale, Meyer said it was important to push the boundaries of technology and design, and create a moment that could go down in fashion history. Those present in the auditorium were impressed – including Kylie Jenner, Jeanne Damas and Alexa Chung, all cheering loudly – while footage of the finale quickly went viral.
“We’re not going to monetize this but it’s a celebration of innovation and having strong moments in fashion because we’re passionate about driving fashion forward,” said Arnaud Vaillant, CEO. and Coperni’s co-founder, said ahead of the concert.
Coperni, founded in 2013, often cross-pollinates fashion with art, science, technology and craft. Earlier this year, the brand made headlines with a hand-blown glass handbag that Doja Cat brought to the Grammys. The bag is named Swipe after the “swipe to unlock” feature on iPhones. On the catwalk this season, the Paris brand also debuted an 18-karat gold bag version that will be melted down after the show for use in other projects. Those interested in purchasing one of the golden bags – created by artist Gabriele Veneri – can order one.
The dress can return to liquid form and be sprayed over and over again. Credit: Julien de Rosa / AFP / Getty Images
Elsewhere in Coperni’s new Spring-Summer collection, holographic floral prints appeared on vinyl inserts on fitted jackets. With the bra cup serving as shoulder pads, the high-tech outfit was paired with high-waisted shorts and a bodycon skirt – as Kylie Jenner wore during the show.
“We made this print by making a video of a flower in bloom,” explains Meyer. “We then took some screenshots of the video, which went through a (software) to make the print. It’s very technical and Coperni usually doesn’t draw flowers because it’s too girly for her. us, but I like the contrast of futuristic fabric with the romance of flowers. It’s a modern romanticism.”
The collection also features matching “The Matrix” actress Fiona Johnson’s red dress, as well as a series of jackets with boxy shoulders that hint at silhouettes of characters from the online game Roblox.
“Sébastien (Meyer)’s main source of inspiration is innovation, whether technological or digital,” Vaillant said of his Coperni co-founder. “So he always has this reference.”
