Another viral moment has been added to the arsenal of Paris’s Fashion week, as Heliot Emil sent a model literally set on fire down the runway. Brothers Victor and Julius Juul, who founded Heliot Emil in 2017, advocate for exploring form and function through experimental methods – and so they definitely did. Their current runway collection, called “Connected Forms,” showcases signature fabric manipulations, including textiles molded by melting techniques and liquid metal effects, together with crafted detailing, including bondages, metal features, padding and extensive usage of zippers, not only positioned for the sake of form – but also emphasising the function, as they allow pieces to be worn in multiple ways. Alongside ultra-oversized puffy looks, we were served everything we would expect from Juul’s hyper-futuristic dystopian brand.

This is the third time the Juul’s are showing in Paris. In 2022, the duo was marked as a promise after being placed as finalists for the ANDAM Grand Prize. This season’s “Connected Forms” was inspired by British artist Henry Moore, best known for his semi-abstract bronze sculptures located mainly in the open. Being public art pieces, the mass is invited to watch Moore’s abnormal-yet-human shapes gradually becoming a part of their surroundings as they develop a natural patina. “Connected Forms” takes Moore’s abstraction of the human figure and gives it a new meaning and interpretation; Now, these are the layers placed on the human body, which produce a game of distorted proportions rather than the body itself. Heliot Emil uses textiles and silhouettes to redefine human dimensions and challenge our grasp of proportions.

The reference to anonymity also played a distinct role in Heliot Emil this season, as almost half of the looks covered the models head-to-toe. Full-on balaclavas contributed to the dystopian atmosphere and granted the looks another dramatic touch. Oddly, seemed like only male models were chosen to be worn all-covering looks; The female models mostly settled for tight and much more revealing silhouettes. Food for thought, as we come to discuss a futuristic collection in an era where many aspire to achieve a blurring of the dichotomy between species.