A bizarre new fashion trend is taking hold, and it has nothing to do with hemlines or patterns. This season's must-have item is activewear deliberately infused with live bacteria, with designers making bold claims about its skin-enhancing properties.
The Science Behind the Second Skin
Parisian fashion house Coperni, in collaboration with Swiss biotech experts, is the force behind this unconventional collection, which landed in stores last month. Dubbed "Carewear," the range includes leggings, bodysuits, and tops, all priced at a premium £150 to £180 per item.
The core innovation lies in the fabric. Each gram of the stretchy material contains approximately 140,000 live, 'friendly' bacteria cells. These microbes are slowly released and absorbed by the wearer's skin during use. The brand's founders, Arnaud Vaillant and Sébastien Meyer, explained the concept emerged from a simple question: what if clothing could do more than just dress you? What if it could actively care for you?
"We often forget that the skin is a living organ, a delicate ecosystem," they stated. "We wanted to imagine clothing that could become an ally, a second skin infused with kindness and intelligence."
Durability and Dermatological Testing
For consumers wary of the high price tag, there is some reassurance regarding longevity. Coperni promises that the active bacterial ingredients will remain effective for up to 40 washes, making the garments hard-wearing.
Before release, the materials underwent a careful design process to ensure comfort was not compromised. Crucially, the fabric was also dermatologically tested on human skin to assess its safety and interaction with the body.
This shift from visible aesthetics to invisible functionality marks a new direction for the brand. "For so long, fashion has focused on what’s visible, the shape, the colour, the silhouette," the designers noted. "Now, we’re entering a time where what’s invisible matters just as much."
Coperni's History of High-Tech Fashion
This is not the first time Coperni has captured the world's attention with its avant-garde approach. The brand has a reputation for theatrical and technologically advanced showcases.
During its Spring Summer 2023 show, model Bella Hadid walked onto the runway naked and was sprayed with a white fibrous liquid that instantly formed a dress—an exclusive collaboration with material science company Fabrican. This performance was hailed as a revolutionary moment in fashion.
The brand's Fall Winter 2023 show continued this theme, featuring robot dogs that assisted models with outfit changes on the catwalk. The collection also included bags made with a 55,000-year-old lunar meteorite.
Coperni's designs have garnered a celebrity following, with the likes of Gigi Hadid, Billie Eilish, Hailey Bieber, and Rihanna spotted wearing their pieces. This positions the new bacteria-infused Carewear at the intersection of high fashion, celebrity culture, and cutting-edge wellness technology.
