The Coperni Spray-on Dress

Written by Yasmine Mubarak

Coperni is truly back on the map with the latest installation on Paris Fashion Week. The French brand suprisied everyone with its Spring Summer 2023 collection - which ended in a scientific art piece starring Bella Hadid.

Coperni joined forces with Fabrican ltd, lead by Doctor Manel Torres, for a 'Blade Runner' futuristic collaboration that resulted in the making of a dress - live on the runway. The art meets fashion performance saw Manel Torres use a spray-on fabric that once sprayed, dries to create a physical form.

The spray-on technique was developed by Fabrican, a company founded by Spanish fashion designer and scientist Manel Torres. Fabrican liquid contains cotton or synthetic fibres, suspended in a polymer solution that transforms when making contact with the body. After wearing, it can be removed and turned back into a solution, ready for reuse. Now on stage, the spray-on is following the curves of Bella Hadid, almost as a sculpture you see the art piece come to life. The almost silver/white spray transformed Hadid’s nude clothing into a dress. The act can almost be described as a performance art piece, where the audience are part of the transformation, and historical event. With futuristic music the event becomes even more intense. Coperni co-founders Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant have been working with Torres and his team at London’s Bioscience Innovation Centre over the past six months to develop the spray-on, one-shouldered dress.

In an interview with Vogue Business, co-founder Sébastien Meyer says that “It’s our duty as designers to try new things and show a possible future. We’re not going to make money on this, but it’s a beautiful moment — an experience that creates emotion.” The dress and iconic moment will definitely become a part of the history of fashion.