Bella Hadid's spray on dress

Spray-on dress stuns at Paris show - 24th October 2022

Amidst the characteristic wealth of superlative designs from haute couture houses across the world, there was one stand-out moment at Paris Fashion Week – French label Coperni's spray-on dress instantly went viral.

Supermodel and human rights activist Bella Hadid entered the stage to be clothed by specialists. Using spray guns, three designers painted a dress-shape onto Hadid's skin with a web-like substance, which after drying transformed into fabric. A fourth stylist then approached the statuesque model and tugged at the straps to fashion an off-the-shoulder look, before cutting a leg slit. Once the 15-minute procedure was complete, Hadid strutted down the runway to the delight of the audience.

Fusing fashion with technology was their vision, according to Coperni's co-founders Sebastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant. "It's our celebration of women's silhouettes of the past," they informed journalists, "and we wanted to update our aesthetic in a more grown-up and scientific way."

The brainchild of Dr Manel Torres, the liquid solution – Fabrican – was devised in 2003 and comprises fibres in a polymer solution which evaporate on contact with a surface. Although Fabrican's original purpose was in the field of medicine, such as creating casts, these days its scope is extensive, being involved in construction in the automotive industry, in marine oil spillages and in the manufacture of instant hygiene products.

The Fabrican company has embraced the role that its unique product can play in the fashion industry. Said to feel like suede, the fabric can be manipulated using scissors and sewing implements, much like normal cloth. The texture can be altered by varying the ingredients, leading Fabrican to assert that "it will free designers to create new and unique garments" and "allow the wearer to personalise their wardrobe in infinite combinations."

Fashion experts were quick to make comparisons to other iconic moments such as designer Alexander McQueen's 1999 Spring/Summer showcase, when robot arms spray-painted the model's white dress.

25-year-old Hadid thanked Coperni warmly on Instagram with the words "I love you," and "no rehearsal, no nothing, just passion."