Matières Fécales Suplexes The Rich
In the chic, buttoned-up world of Paris Fashion Week, one brand sets out to blaze a trail far away from the cool kid’s table; undoubtedly beautiful in its own right. Matières Fécales, or otherwise known as Fecal Matter in English, the Parisian couture house has consistently made more of a name for itself year after year.
Aside from graphic racks at Dover Street Market locations worldwide impaling pristine recreations of co-founder Hannah Rose Dalton, the brand made Headlines this year. To name a few, the brand dressed: Gabbriette as the first Fecal Matter bride, Demi Moore in a tattered pink dress emblematic of her The Substance role, and Zendaya as a sure-to-be Biblically accurate angel for a red carpet screening of The Odyssey.
Matières Fécales goes so much deeper than dressing A-listers; in fact a large part of Dalton and partner Steven Raj Bhaskaran’s ethos is social commentary on these very people. For their previous Paris Fashion Week show, “The One Percent,” they used elements like sharp tailoring with ties, expensive leathers, and even dollar bills to shape structured oversized tops, having models appear as though they are swimming in wealth.
This go-around, the oppositely-named “The Ninety-Nine Percent” aimed to shine a light on the underrepresented voices that have been dominating and carrying the fashion industry in the shadows since its conception.
Ninety-nine models of color from around the world, each with a different background and story– models in the “traditional” sense and newcomers to the runway.
The first looks to go down the runway were stark white, with crosses created on the plackets of collared dresses and button-downs. Two of the models nursed babies wrapped in snow-white silk. These pieces held tattered edges with veils for more modest looks that still pushed boundaries. One striking look was a trenchcoat with belt buckles around the elbows and waistline, resembling a straight jacket's restrictive qualities.
Similar pieces walked down in black, red, orange, baby blue, and pink tones creating a distressed, chic rainbow which was then interrupted by Bhaskaran and his family united in style.
The looks evolved and became hardened, and the models seemed to morph as well. The whites of the eyes turned black and spikes formed from all parts of the body, even from mohawks in some particularly edgy faces. Between more coats, distressed edges, and more literal pieces with wording including “RESIST,” and “UNCENSORED,” a vibe of protection and toughness oozed off the runway.
As the first runway to debut at the Place de la République, it’s hard to pin down only a few highlights from the show because there were so many. Aside from the masterful clothes and location, my eyes detour from the striking pieces of the collection and stare in amazement at the larger-than-life beefcake models that must be at least 6 feet 6 inches tall.
Another pivotal moment of the show was when three beautiful models walked down the runway in tandem, forming the Tricolore of the French flag. The last looks in the collection were the most dynamic and exciting. Look 91 of the collection symbolizes the Phoenix with an ombre, structured gown of red, orange, and yellow feathers.
The last two looks of the collection are clear showstoppers in the collection and make the most bold statement. In a collaboration with Christian Louboutin, two models carried mock carcasses of the one-percent, with the same dollar bill masks from the previous show.
Seemingly, the People have risen from the ashes and taken a stand against oppressive powers that be. These models, limp and red bottoms on display, are eerily lifelike and paint a vivid picture– they are against the same opulent men that are trying to buy their way into artistry and culture.
Internet critics were quick to call out the alleged hypocrisy of the brand’s subversive name while having the goal of hiring all models of color. There was also an irony in a show about access that’s gated off for only the elite to attend.
This criticism doesn’t go much deeper than the surface, and discredits the hard work the Matieres Fecales has put into their craft.
In a fashion industry that seems to have reverted back to the heroin chic model culture, it’s beacons like Fecal Matter that keep the industry on their toes.
“This is what a lot of people are going through. So this collection is an homage to the strength of the 99 percent, and the soul of a lot of people who don’t have access to fashion, or beauty, or luxury,” Bhaskaran shared with W Magazine. “It’s a way of taking all of those struggles that I went through, that so many people go through.”
All photos courtesy of Matières Fécales.