Everything You Need to Know About the Technology Behind Bella Hadid’s Spray-on Dress
French label Coperni delivered one of the viral moments of Paris Fashion Week with a performance that saw a nearly naked Bella Hadid spray-painted with a dress on the runway.
Designers Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer teamed up with Manel Torres, the head of Fabrican Ltd and inventor of the Spray-on fabric, who personally applied the innovative material with the help of an assistant.
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Torres, who studied fashion design at the Royal College of Art in London, developed the patented technology, which dries instantly on impact with any surface, including liquids, to create a non-woven fabric layer.
“It can be used to make innovative clothes that can be washed, re-worn and even integrated with diagnostic devices that can monitor the health of the wearer. The technology consists of short fibers bound together with polymers and bio polymers, and greener solvents that deliver the fabric in liquid form, then evaporate when the spray reaches a surface,” Coperni said in a statement.
“The texture of the fabric can be changed according to the fibers (synthetic and natural, such as cotton, linen, polyester or nylon as well as recycled) and binder used, and how the spray is applied,” it added.
A strong chemical scent filled the air at the Musée des Arts et Métiers, where guests including Kylie Jenner were gathered, as Hadid patiently stood for more than eight minutes as the liquid was applied. Once it was dry, an attendant rolled down her sleeves, snipped off the hem and slashed the skirt of the white dress.
Founded in 2003, Fabrican is exploring the uses of its technology in the clothing, healthcare, automotive, packaging and building products fields. The Spray-on fabric can be applied using aerosol technology, industrial sprayers, robots and 3D printing.
Vaillant and Meyer said Hadid was the only model they considered for the performance due to her affinity for technology. She recently launched her CY-B3LLA range of NFTs, sending out 11,111 digital versions of herself in the metaverse. “She likes this kind conversation [with designers and technology,]” Vaillant said.
Launch Gallery: Bella Hadid Had a Coperni Dress Spray-Painted On Her Naked Body at Paris Fashion Week
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