COPERNI is a fashion house known for blurring the lines between fashion and technology, but their latest innovation is the most out-of-this-world creation yet. The newest iteration of their trademark handbag known as “The Swipe” is made up of a material usually used in aerospace engineering: aerogel. Aerogel is 99% air and 1% glass and is typically used for insulation purposes. According to NASA: “It long held the record as the world’s lightest solid and is also one of the most effective insulators in existence.” The bag, which weighs about 33 grams in total, is another in a long line of out-of-the-box ideas that COPERNI seems to be overflowing with. But who are the creative geniuses behind this forward-thinking fashion?
We have Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant to thank. The Parisian designers had an astronomical vision for their brand from the beginning, as they take inspiration from the scientist for whom the brand is named. According to Coperni, “The name…invokes the life work of Renaissance-era astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, whose mathematical and astronomical research into Heliocentrism inspires the designers’ visual world.” They credit Copernicus as “one of the greatest geniuses of his time, thanks to his theory of the motion of Earth and the planets. In his heliocentric system (known, ever since, as the Copernic system), all the planets turn around the sun, acknowledging the earth as a planet just like the others.”
This posthumous collaboration with the astronomer has been widely successful for the two creatives. The appeal of their unique approach to fashion through a technological lens is seen both through the receipt of many prestigious awards as well as the public intrigue that they create. Coperni designs are known to get people talking. According to Monnier Paris, “From the roof of the Tour Montparnasse to an Arena redesigned as a drive-in, allowing guests to view the collection in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Coperni catwalks are widely known for always creating surprise – and causing a stir on social media.” Last year, in one of their most talked about runway shows, “a dress was spray-painted live on stage using a next-generation organic liquid fiber,” on model Bella Hadid.
The Swipe itself has gone through many different iterations and has been rendered in many different materials such as hand-blown glass and 18-carat gold. According to Monnier Paris, “The Swipe is constantly reinvented and experimented upon with each version more addictive than the last. Whether covered in rhinestones, in animal print, in a mini or crossbody version, Baguette or Ring, the designer pair have succeeded in creating a bag so iconic and surprising that the possibilities are seemingly endless. The Swipe is the perfect reflection of the Coperni aesthetic, captivating yet relatable thanks to its sense of minimalist style.”
This futuristic aesthetic that Coperni brings to the fashion world is a refreshing sense of modernity amidst the resurgence of archival vintage on the runway. The new, young brand and its commitment to the unconventional is sure to have many more innovations in store.
