The performance of a lifetime, supermodel Bella Hadid closed Parisian brand Coperni’s fashion show with a jaw-dropping dress that was sprayed onto her body in front of a live audience. The breathtaking construction of the dress proved to be a revolutionary moment that has been absent from the fashion industry for quite a while now.
Coperni, the Parisian ready-to-wear fashion brand founded by Sébastian Meyer and Arnaud Valliant, has been uniquely tailored for the “it girls,” representing both minimalism and incorporating innovative methods of design through technology. By doing so, they create collections catering to today’s fashion movements and paying homage to the past, perfectly employing their aesthetic of futuristic minimalism. Earlier this year, the brand made headlines by infusing science with art and craft, debuting a glass-blown handbag carried by Doja Cat at the Grammys, and subsequently with Kylie Jenner carrying one to promote the new launch of her cosmetics line.
Yet their most iconic debut was the moment an ethereal Bella Hadid walked onto the runway in nothing but flesh-coloured underwear and stood there for 10 minutes while Manel Torres—creator of the spray-on technology, Fabrican—and two scientists sprayed on the white substance to reveal the shape of a dress. To complete the look, the brand’s head of design, Charlotte Raymond, walked on stage to create a dramatic leg slit and draped the straps to create an off-the-shoulder silhouette. Guests ranging from Alexa Chung to Kylie Jenner watched in awe as she strutted around the room and perhaps witnessed the most perfectly executed moment in fashion history. It didn’t take long for social media to obtain a glimpse into the runway debut, and it became instantly viral.
Many fashion enthusiasts have alluded to and compared this moment to the legendary Alexander McQueen’s 1999 Spring runway show where model Shalom Harlow walked onstage in a white, flouncy dress, stepping onto a spinning platform, while robotic hands sprayed her dress with green and black spray paint to create a one of a kind piece and experience. Whereas McQueen’s message was to convey his tormented creativity, Coperni’s approach was a scientific one, focusing on the technological aspect intricately linked to the brand’s identity. Their name itself derives from astronomer Nicolas Copernicus, who introduced the concept of the Sun being the sole centre of the universe rather than the Earth, revolutionizing the conception of the world.
However, both Meyer and Valliant insist this act was, in fact, not an allusion to McQueen saying, “It’s totally different.” Coperni’s vision took a more man-made perspective, where robotic arms transformed into an entrepreneur and two scientists with knowledge of the technology, creating a dress from scratch in real-time. The “paint” being utilized evolved into a practical form of fashion to construct a garment out of a spray can.
Coperni’s finale also drew parallels from other previous moments on runways, such as Hussein Chalayan’s Spring/Summer 2016 runway, where falling water dissolved the original outfit to reveal delicate yet refined dresses. While exhibiting two completely different creations, the motif of scandalous looks remains a common trait. Martin Margiela’s Spring/Summer 2006 collection featured coloured ice cube accessories that dyed the garments as they melted on the models. In connection with paint that turns into any kind of garment, they both act as a form of performative art.
A revolutionary runway like this only appears in the fashion world every once in a while. It took 24 years for anything at all to be considered in comparison with Alexander McQueen’s level of design and direction, and Coperni accomplished just that. It’s very telling that this show is going to remain timeless in the minds of fashion lovers and enthusiasts alike until something equally as compelling or more exceptional comes along. Not only did Coperni achieve astounding success, but Bella Hadid herself became more of an icon than she already is. With her off-duty streetwear style being an inspiration for many, the term “bellabot,” coined by Gen Z followers, this specific look inspired many Halloween costumes and received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from Hadid’s fans around the world. As Bella says herself, the performance had become a “pinnacle moment.”