Coperni’s Spray-On Dress Was a Viral Smash. This Gravity-Defying Gel Bag Might Top It

Coperni has but to resolve what number of RLP Swipe Luggage shall be put into manufacturing, however for Meyer, beginning a dialog round these improvements is extra vital than rapid industrial success. “It’s about subtly enhancing our lives in ways in which really feel pure. In ways in which aren’t essentially apparent, however impactful,” he says. “Above all, I need to use the present to platform scientists and applied sciences that might make the trade higher.”

This is not Coperni’s first foray into viral, tech-driven trend improvements. The model first gained worldwide recognition for its internet-breaking “spray-on dress,” which captivated audiences at Paris Style Week in 2022.

Constituted of a liquid material known as Fabrican, it was sprayed instantly onto supermodel Bella Hadid’s physique, solidifying upon contact to kind a wearable garment. The costume generated greater than $22 million in earned media worth, however many ignored the deeper message behind its creation. Past its visible spectacle, the spray-on costume was a sustainable innovation—machine cleanable, re-liquefiable, and reusable.

“We see it as our mission to push the boundaries of what’s doable in trend,” says Meyer. “A designer’s responsibility is to enhance and discover new options, not only for aesthetics, however for practicality and sustainability.”

Their iconic Swipe Bag (impressed by the ‘swipe to unlock’ icon of an iPhone) has change into a platform for scientific experimentation. The founders persistently push new frontiers in sustainability and wearability every season. Earlier collaborations embody a mission with professor Ioannis Michaloudis from the American College of Cyprus, to create a bag constituted of aerogel—a barely-there materials that’s 99 p.c air, can stand up to temperatures as much as 1,300°C (2,372°F), and was beforehand utilized in area by Nasa to catch interstellar mud.

Sci-Fi Style

On the core of those improvements is Meyer’s love for science fiction. As a self-proclaimed “geek,” he attracts inspiration from sci-fi’s imaginative worlds, which regularly function blueprints for future technology. Final season’s Coperni assortment was an ode to the style, that includes references to iconic sci-fi movies reminiscent of Star Wars, Dune, and The Matrix.

However, for the model, trend isn’t nearly creating visually gorgeous items, it’s about constructing worlds that assist the viewers visualize the longer term, making it one step realer within the course of. “It’s stunning how generally you are able to do one thing that’s unfamiliar or unknown, however when there may be emotion, folks react nicely to new concepts,” says Vaillant.

In an period the place AI advances usually outpace public understanding, manufacturers reminiscent of Coperni and visionaries like Walt Disney are a reminder that the actual magic occurs when creativeness and innovation are mixed, after which expertise brings these goals to life.