At Paris Fashion Week , Matières Fécales took that idea to an entirely different level with its Spring/Summer 2027 collection, staging its show at Paris’ Place de la République — a public square known for major gatherings and demonstrations. (Also read: Aishwarya Rai goes full ‘Maleficent’ at L’Oréal Paris Fashion Week runway in velvet gown and cape with bold red hair ) Fashion can be anything but boring, and some runway shows push experimentation so far that they leave audiences divided.
Co-designed by Steven Raj Bhaskaran and Hannah Rose, the collection drew heavily from Bhaskaran’s upbringing in low-income housing in Montreal and the diverse cultures and faiths he grew up around. The show was presented as a tribute to immigrants, outsiders and communities often left on the margins of the fashion industry. But it was the beauty looks that quickly grabbed attention. Models appeared with heavily painted white faces, bold red lips and dramatic streaks of sindoor extending up towards the nose. Other looks featured stark white makeup contrasted with deep black lips, creating an intentionally unsettling visual effect. The showcase quickly sparked reactions online, with users debating its cultural references, theatrical styling and bold beauty looks.
Bhaskaran, one half of Matières Fécales, which literally translates to “fecal matter”, is half Sri Lankan and half Guyanese with Indian heritage, according to anonymous fashion critic Diet Sabya. Diet Sabya described the collection as a homage to Bhaskaran’s heritage, his “Family” and “The One Percent” in his September 29 Instagram post.
