For the 2023 production “Falling/In Love” at Berlin’s Friedrichstadt-Palast, Jean-Paul Gaultier invited the Montreal-based design duo Matières Fécales to collaborate on an ambitious theatrical vision. The result: a series of twenty costumes that punctuated the stage with otherworldly beauty and uncompromising detail.
Known for their dystopian, ritualistic aesthetics and sculptural silhouettes, Matières Fécales approached the project with full creative freedom. Gaultier asked only that the costumes embody the essence of mother-of-pearl. The directive opened the door to a wide range of interpretations, allowing the designers to lean into their surrealist and conceptual inclinations while responding to the show’s emotional and visual themes.
The process spanned over a year and involved close coordination with the Palast’s team of performers, beauty experts, and costume artisans. The production was led by costume director Elisabetta Pian. The scale and complexity of the show required designs that were not only visually striking but also functional for performance, balancing stage dynamics, movement, and durability with conceptual integrity.
The costumes created by Matières Fécales reflect a merging of fantasy and discipline. Iridescent surfaces, alien-like forms, and sculptural layering conveyed both fragility and armor, aligning with the emotional arc of “Falling/In Love” while staying true to the duo’s post-human design language.
Documented by the designers themselves, the images of the finished looks reveal the physical and emotional labor poured into the project. The collaboration stands as a significant milestone for Matières Fécales, whose work, typically rooted in speculative fiction and counter-cultural narratives, found a new resonance on a large-scale European stage.
More than a creative achievement, the project embodies a kind of resilience and shared dreaming in challenging times. As the designers note, the experience is one they will treasure, and one they hope encourages others to imagine with similar conviction.
ABOUT Matières Fécales
Matières Fécales is a Parisian label founded by Hannah Rose and Steven Raj, embodying refined glamour and extreme individuality. Born from their 2014 meeting in Montreal, they have spent a decade pioneering a post-human aesthetic and fostering a fearless community. Their bold approach challenges luxury norms while valuing craftsmanship.
Photos: Courtesy of Matières Fécales by Matières Fécales
www.matieresfecales.com
@matieresfecales
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