Coperni Does it Again: Robots on the Runway
The moment Rianne Van Rompaey “kisses” the robot. Credit: Vogue.com
French womenswear brand Coperni, as they do seasonally, creates a memorable runway splattered with minty-fresh looks in a rock-and-roll filter. Fur-edged little black dresses and tiny silver hands surreally pinching slips allow the audience of many to adore the mind of Coperni, creative director Sébastien Meyer.
But that’s not what is grabbing fashion headlines. What has brought the 2013-founded brand into the public eye has been the bizarre usage of technology integrated into fashion week and in the clothing itself.
Look 11 of Coperni FALL 2023 READY-TO-WEAR vogue.com
Coperni is a contemporary company based in Paris, France. Founded by designers Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant, the name is a play on words, combining astronomer Copernicus with “epiphany”. The merge symbolizes the brand's goal of creating a new vision in fashion.
The brand is mainly known for its modern and innovative designs, incorporating geometric shapes and minimalistic details. They have also gained widespread popularity for their use of high-tech fabrics and cutting-edge technology, which they use to create unique and functional clothing.
Though the more recent seasons have been most popular, it seems obligatory to discuss their whole career as a brand to show how they got to robot runway dogs and spray-on dresses.
The moment the robot removes the jacket. Credit: The Guardian
Coperni started geometrical. Layers of black and white shapes conform to resemble a top in the Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear, giving the wearers an absence of a silhouette. The next season's looks show sixties-style skirts, all in the modern rendition derived from the two creatives.
Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear Collection. Credit: Vogue.com
Then the pandemic arises, leaving most companies in turmoil and confusion. Coperni takes an alternative route and becomes iconic in its Resort and Pre-Fall marketing.
During Paris Fashion Week in March 2021, they made their first debut with technology to create a unique and immersive experience for viewers.
Their technology feat at the time was augmented reality to showcase the clothing. During the pandemic, lovers of Coperni could wear the outfits while in their homes.
Viewers could also download an app and point their phones at points in the show to see the clothing in 3D as if it were right in front of them.
In addition to the AR and digital elements, Coperni also incorporated technology into the clothing itself. Some pieces included built-in sensors and lights that would change color or pattern based on the wearer's movements or the surrounding environment. This added an extra layer of interactivity and innovation to the already cutting-edge designs.
Overall, Coperni's use of technology demonstrated a willingness to push the boundaries of what is possible in the fashion industry. By incorporating AR, digital backdrops, and technology into the clothing itself, they created an immersive and visually stunning experience that showcased their unique perspective and commitment to innovation.
Coperni Interactive Arcade on Instagram. Credit: theimpression.com
The moment we all have etched into our minds is when the most influential model of our decade, Bella Hadid, is seen presumably naked having white goop sprayed all over her which formed a dress. The stunt's uniqueness, impracticability, and absurd usage of technology caught the eyes of non-fashion and fashion lovers alike.
While the dress is beautiful, it is not feasible to sell clothing in this way. Unless it became a unique interactive experience to “make a dress” before a night out and peel it off at the end of the evening, it would not be wearable and would be seen by most as a waste of time and money.
According to Coperni’s chief executive, Arnaud Vaillant, the dress could be taken off like a tight and hung, washed, or regenerated by putting it back into the bottle (vogue.com).
Coperni Slip Dress Spray-Painted onto Bella Hadid. Credit: Vogue.com
Doja Cat, Kylie Jenner, and more have been seen wearing the impractical but undoubtedly beautiful glass bags of the fall-winter 2022 show.
It seems useless to have a bag if everyone around you can see what you are holding and you can only put a few items inside. But that's what celebrities may want: transparency in a time where the new trend is not having a mysterious aura in one's actions.
Coperni x Heven Glass Swipe Bag. Credits: HIGHSNOBIETY
Now that you've been immersed in the culture of Coperni, let’s look at their recent show and see if there is any surprise in their robots.
It seems probable that this show would be legendary. They still had remains of the fame the spray-on dress gave them, and knew the large audience that would be analyzing their show.
The robots were the instantly recognizable Spot Robot by Boston Dynamics, a dog-looking robot that can carry heavy loads and move around with ease which changed the robot game. The yellow robots were set along the runway as models strode past, alluding to the future we may see of humans and robots together. At first, the robots just walked around, but soon they became scarily interactive.
With a Demogorgon-looking face, one of the robots gave a kiss to the model and then proceeded to pull the jacket off. This could have gone wrong, but thankfully the stunt proceeded beautifully and the dress underneath was revealed like a flower in spring.
The dynamic between humans and robots is the entire ethos of the show though, justifying the interaction. Coperni explains the show is loosely inspired by The Wolf and The Lamb, a popular fable by Aesop. But instead of the wolf and the lamb, we have the dynamic between humans and robots.
My one issue with this show is the mainstream usage of Boston Dynamics robots. Boston Dynamics was originally entirely funded by the US military, making people wary of the potential war profiteering that may be present. Though they pledge to never make robots for war, without proper legislation this technology could be used for worse.
Spot® The Agile Mobile Robot credit: Boston Dynamics
Overall, we will see Coperni be influential, and that's an understatement. Their usage of fabric and nouveau materials is going to change the way we look at everyday clothes. Sooner or later, clothing will be sprayed on before the day starts and taken off at the end of the day. There is potential for sustainability in this tactic, ridding the Earth of the disease overconsumption is. In conclusion, Coperni's innovative approach to fashion not only pushes the boundaries of creativity but also has the potential to revolutionize the industry toward a more sustainable future.
by IZZI SCHULTE