Coperni, the fashion brand that gained international acclaim for its innovative designs, including Bella Hadid's iconic spray-on dress, has announced its closure. Founders Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer shared the news via Instagram, citing "months of conflict" with their shareholder and distributor, Tomorrow Ltd.
In a statement, the founders expressed their profound sadness at ceasing operations, reflecting on the "incredible" past eight years and thanking fans for "bringing the brand to life." They explained that despite all efforts to resolve the dispute with Tomorrow Ltd, "no solution could be found."
According to Vogue Business, Tomorrow Ltd was acquired by Progetto 11, a holding company for the Italian e-commerce platform The Level Group, in March. Vaillant alleged in June that Tomorrow Ltd had stopped payments to Coperni following the sale, leading to significant financial strain. The brand was granted protection by the Paris Court, allowing it to temporarily defer taxes to protect its operations and employees.
Coperni, launched in Paris in 2013, saw its founders step away in 2017 before relaunching the brand a year later, achieving rapid success. The brand catapulted to global fame in 2022 when Bella Hadid walked the Paris Fashion Week runway and had a gown spray-painted onto her body using Fabrican, a unique spray-on fabric technology developed by Dr. Manel Torres.
Fabrican's technology begins as a liquid suspension that, when sprayed, forms an instant non-woven fabric through the cross-linking of fibers. The material can be tailored to feel soft, durable, rubber-like, or suede-like, offering limitless possibilities. Dr. Torres described the fabric as "magical," noting its ability to react with skin oils to avoid stickiness and be removed like a regular T-shirt.