Coperni’s Paris fashion show has become a groundbreaking event, featuring not only human models but also robots as the stars of the show. The fashion house worked in partnership with Boston Dynamics to showcase their Spots – the company’s advanced robot canines.
The Show
In this fashion show, the main characters were not models, but robots. Models often appear to ordinary people as supernatural beings. But they were just ordinary people of flesh and blood next to robots on stage.
As the lights dimmed, the Spots made their entrance, their eyes flashing as they approached members of the audience. The robots in tarantula stripes of yellow and black exuded an power and menace. Models soon joined the Spots on stage, but even the most magnetic human models could not match the robots’ unblinking, emerald gaze.
Throughout the show, the Spots interacted with the models, helping them with their coats and carrying their handbags. The fashion show was a “modern fable,” reimagining the classic story of The Wolf and the Lamb as a tale of power dynamics between humans and robots.
A Positive Message
According to Coperni’s designers, Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant, the show’s message was the harmony between humans and technology. However, he said that when he first encountered Spot it seemed to him uncomfortable. «But now I think they are just beautiful». They traveled to Boston to meet the creators of the Spots and were impressed by the company’s commitment to robotics. Boston Dynamics was the first robot company to sign a charter promising never to give weapons to robots.
This year show ended with the handlers joining the robots on stage, and soon after, fans swarmed the Spots, requesting selfies. Overall, the Coperni fashion show was a unique and innovative event that showcased the potential for humans and technology to coexist in harmony.
