In the lead-up to Coperni‘s F/W 24 show, the fashion house known for its viral runway moments ignited anticipation with “UFO sighting reports” across Instagram, strategically placed in New York City, Naoshima, and Paris. These sightings resembled Stanley Kubrick’s Monoliths, the black cubic machines from 2001: A Space Odyssey, teasing the sci-fi theme woven into the collection’s fabric. Just under 24 hours before the curtain rose, Coperni unveiled The Air Swipe Bag — an accessory crafted from NASA’s nanomaterial silica aerogel, the lightest solid on Earth, made up of 99% literal air and 1% glass, developed by Professor loannis Michaloudis. The monolith returned to the scene of the show, at times blinding audiences. Opener Loli Bahia made an entrance in a sleek black tuxedo-like romper (a bold nod to the prevailing pantless trend) carrying a bag in a ziplock, setting the stage for what was to unfold. Designer duo Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant stayed true to Coperni’s ethos, delivering a fusion of cool elegance and futuristic allure with sharp tailoring and a palette dominated by dark monochromatic hues. Embracing the space theme, Ella McCutcheon was draped in a crumpled aluminum dress, while Libby Bennett wore the mini skirt counterpart, paired with a silver knit polo featuring elongated sleeves. The pantless ensemble continued and took on various iterations, including a khaki and metallic grey mini trench coat. Leon Dame sported a textured beige collarless suit, perfectly complemented by the collection’s pièce de résistance — the Air Swipe Bag. Cast by Samuel Ellis Scheinman, Mariacarla Boscono brought the show to a close in a black halter neck dress embellished with a fur circular attachment reminiscent of an antenna, signaling the collection’s voyage into uncharted realms. Photographer Sonny Vandevelde captured all the energy behind the scenes, before and after the models embarked on their celestial journey.
