Paris Fashion Week took an unexpectedly eerie turn as 99 models surrounded one of Paris' most recognisable monuments in a fashion show designed to say far more than simply what to wear next season. Matières Fécales' Spring/Summer 2027 presentation turned the Place de la République into a theatrical runway, using unsettling beauty, dramatic styling and a pointed message about power, representation and the people outside the world's wealthiest circles.
The spectacle quickly attracted attention online, with some social-media users comparing the strange looks to a horror film or Halloween display. But behind the creepy prosthetics, religious imagery and theatrical costumes was a carefully planned concept called The Ninety-Nine Percent, which placed 99 models of colour at the centre of the show.
The 99 Models Had a Specific Purpose
The number 99 was not chosen at random, with the designers deliberately casting 99 models of colour for the Spring/Summer 2027 presentation. Designer Steven Raj Bhaskaran said the collection was intended to represent communities he described as part of the '99%', including marginalised groups and people whose stories are often left outside traditional spaces of power.
That gave the spectacle a much more direct meaning than its bizarre appearance initially suggested. Instead of simply using shock value, the Canadian design duo used the casting itself as part of the message, turning the runway into a statement about visibility and representation.
The Runway Was Built in a Protest Spot
The setting was just as important as the clothes, because Matières Fécales staged the show beneath the Monument à la République at Place de la République. The Paris square is closely associated with demonstrations, marches and public gatherings, and reporting on the show described it as the first fashion presentation held at the location.
That choice helped turn an ordinary catwalk into something resembling a public procession. Bhaskaran has described the square as a place representing the 'real Paris', rather than the traditionally wealthy areas associated with luxury fashion.
Paris Fashion week looks more like a Halloween horror house. pic.twitter.com/4ptqfarXCO
— Chris Ripa (@CHRISsW0RLD) September 28, 2026
The Clothes Made the Message Look Creepy
The collection was presented in three acts and mixed couture silhouettes with punk-inspired styling, dramatic religious references, sculptural pieces and theatrical beauty looks. Images from the presentation showed deliberately exaggerated styling that helped create the unsettling atmosphere viewers noticed online.
Some viewers on social media described the spectacle as looking like a horror house or even compared it with American Horror Story. Those descriptions are reactions from individual users rather than statements about the designers' intentions, which centred on representation, identity and communities positioned outside traditional power structures.
This is not American Horror Story.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) September 29, 2026
This is Paris Fashion Week. pic.twitter.com/sFOc8Wz0n2
The Designers Turned Fashion Into a Protest
The political edge was also built into the collection's relationship with the previous season. Matières Fécales' Fall/Winter 2026 collection was titled The One Percent and satirised the wealthy elite, while the new Spring/Summer 2027 collection flipped the idea towards the '99%'.
That made the latest presentation feel like a continuation rather than an isolated shock tactic. The designers moved the focus from the people who hold enormous wealth and influence to communities they believe deserve greater visibility within fashion and wider society.
Welcome to Paris Fashion Week… pic.twitter.com/JFmOWbZXe6
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) March 4, 2026
Billionaire Figures Appeared in the Finale
The show's most direct jab at wealth came towards the end, when models carried large representations of billionaires on their backs during the finale. The image created a striking reversal of the usual relationship between luxury, status and fashion, with symbols of immense wealth becoming part of the spectacle rather than its audience.
It also gave the '99%' concept a highly visual ending that was difficult to miss. Rather than quietly discussing inequality through a collection note, the designers put the idea directly into the performance and made it part of the runway itself.
Rihanna Watched From the Front Row
Adding another unexpected twist, Rihanna attended the presentation and appeared in a custom look associated with Matières Fécales, alongside figures including Michèle Lamy and Rick Owens. Her appearance gave the unconventional label an even bigger celebrity spotlight as Paris Fashion Week got underway.
So while some viewers saw a disturbing parade of prosthetics, gothic styling and bizarre silhouettes, the show was built around a much more deliberate idea. With 99 models, a protest-associated Paris landmark and a finale involving billionaire figures, Matières Fécales turned its Spring/Summer 2027 runway into a theatrical statement about who gets seen, who holds power and who gets to take up space in fashion.
