PFW: HELIOT EMIL set fire to AW23

There appears to be no sign of AW23 easing up on the dramatics. On the second day of PFW, HELIOT EMIL took the season to fiery heights after they sent a model down the runway in a coat of flames. 

Giving all things Katniss from The Hunger Games, the Danish brand more than lived up to the experimental and creative reputation they have garnered, following on from their utilitarian SS23 show ‘Primal Substance’ with heat-reactive and water-resistant fabrics. The collection was presented in a large and run-down concrete hall in the southwest of Paris to frow attendees like Avril Lavigne, Tyga, and Mia Khalifa (a welcomed new face of fashion week). 

Founded in 2016 by brothers Julius and Victor Juul who named the brand after their grandfather, HELIOT EMIL has taken it upon themselves to rewrite predisposed expectations for Scandinavian brands. They kept a sense of uniformity to the collection named ‘Connected Forms’, as each look felt post-apocalyptic with asymmetrical cuts and neutral maximalism that tied together in a monochrome band of models.

With silver detailings in buckles and zips galore, the ‘burning man’ was doused in flames and sent down the runway, completely unphased by the train of fire that was blazing behind him. The black parka suit hid the model with a cap sitting across his brow, as face coverings and large puffers remained a semantic design choice to run throughout the collection.

The dystopian army of looks has set the standard for Paris Fashion Week pageantry for the brand that started with SS17, by elevating their Scandivanian heritage with show-stopping unisex design. 

What may have seemed like a slightly chaotic show – with the inclusion of robot dogs checking in on crowds – has cemented the brand as one to keep on eye on (fire extinguisher in hand). Perhaps a narrative on the doomscape of climate change, or simply a Coperni SS23-style stunt, HELIOT EMIL is showing that commitment to design should have you more than willing to set fire to your clothes (and models) in the name of fashion.