A Glitchy Connection to the Digital Realm
Review of Coperni Fall 2025 Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Game On, Y2K IRL, Digitally Dreaming
Swapping Mickey Mouse for Megabytes, Coperni’s Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant immersed us in the sub-culture of gaming for fall 2025. Always looking towards how they can integrate technological innovation into their designs, from 3D printed bags and robotic arms spray-painting dresses onto Bella Hadid to the now defunct wearable AI device from Humane, the duo are not shy when it comes to testing out the limits between the uneasy bedfellows of fashion and technology.
Hosting a LAN party (that’s a Local Area Network of devices connected together in one location) in the Adidas Arena on the outskirts of Paris was a definite downgrade from Disneyland, but it still had impact in that it was a replica of the same kind of parties that would take place in the lates 1990s/early 2000s where pre-Discord gamers would typically gather IRL to have an all-night game fest in a sweaty basement. Yet, despite the 200 gamers who had the chance to witness, and become part of a fashion show, many didn’t give a second glance to the svelte models walking past, such was their dedication to their own craft. The team called it a time before the machines took over, with these LAN parties likened to a “golden era when computers were synonymous with freedom and optimism, and when the internet was a realm built by humans.”
The ‘immersive experience’ certainly drew a crowd with two thirds of the arena filled and buzzing for what we were about to witness. Yet somehow the full potential of what could have been didn’t seem to fully manifest, in that there was not a full translation of the main theme of the show into a meaningful commentary of the time. There could have been experiments with motherboard prints or embellishments, slogan T-shirts in gaming speak for those in the know, or a digital dress version of ticker tape displaying comments from the livestream, or even the gamers screens. Todays collection, instead, was a reworking of popular Y2K styling tricks, especially that of the hoodie worn under a blazer, shrunken leather bombers or motocross jackets, and dragon-embellished denim! These were mixed in with the brands body-skimming slinky jersey bodysuits and kick flares with a glitch print or two, and Sailor Moon-meets-Lara Croft cos-play added in to drive home the gaming message.
The idea for fall 2025 started off strong with the anticipation of how the digital would connect with the physical, but this needed to be pushed further in terms of more experimentation with innovative technologies. What did excite this reviewer was the brands seasonal reinvention of its swipe bag, this season it was developed into a Tamagotchi case. There were also several models wearing sleek black sunglasses, and here in spotting potential for a tech (read smart glasses) collaboration the duo partnered with Ray-Ban to launch a co-branded pair that are now available to buy. Taking it a step further and aligning with the tech theme it would have further enhanced engagement if the show had been live-streamed from the models point-of-view via each pair of these Ray-Bans, mimicking the multi-view option in popular gaming franchises. In looking back at a pivotal turning point for the power of technology to connect and build community we just needed to see a deeper dive into more URL over IRL design ideas.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant faced a near impossible task to once again wow us after hosting last seasons show at Disneyland. And although today brought together the worlds of gaming and fashion in one big LAN party, there was a lack of connection to the theme within the collection, other than Lara Croft, Sailor Moon, and glitchy print effects. So, have the duo run out of steam when the show set is more engaging than the collection on show? This is something the team will have to consider going forward as the need to constantly outdo themselves may become a poison chalice long term.
