There are many ways to stand out in the fashion space, and Matières Fécales has done all of them. From the brand’s name (‘fecal matter’ in French) to its obviously unique vision for what a garment can be, Matières Fécales is one to watch. At the Place de la République in Paris, the Montreal-based duo presented its Spring/Summer 2027 collection titled “The Ninety Nine Percent.”

The show, though still visually a spectacle, contained an immensely intimate portrait of the upbringing and family of Matières Fécales co-founder Steven Raj Bhaskaran. With the support of creative partner Hannah Rose Dalton, Bhaskaran seized the opportunity to tell a story. “The Ninety Nine Percent” is an episodic narrative, unveiling different chapters of Bhaskaran’s vision piece by piece. As a whole, however, the show featured ninety-nine models of color and ninety-nine looks by Bhaskaran, a designer of color himself. The story is not about the 1%ers; it’s about the most vulnerable among the rest of society.

The opening section is titled “FAMILY,” a dedication to Bhaskaran’s mother, Grace. Models are draped tenderly in soft fabrics that evoke both the loving attitude she possessed and a certain power, a resilience to fight through hardship. The palette changes throughout the show, but in this section, the shifting colors represent Bhaskaran’s religious upbringing. His family roots are Hindu, but he then became Christian, then Muslim, and then Mormon, all before he was 14 years old.

Following “FAMILY” comes “TRIBE,” a collage of Bhaskaran’s experience coming to Montreal to find himself. “When I ran away from my religious home to find my tribe in Montreal, it was liberating,” Bhaskaran said in a press release. And liberation is omnipresent in “The Ninety Nine Percent.” Militant uniforms blend with grunge aesthetics, nodding to the Montreal punk scene Bhaskaran fell in with.

Both the apparent revolutionary garb and the punk codes mingle with yet another theme: race. Even in Montreal’s punk scene, Bhaskaran felt alienated. “I was too punk for my family, too brown for my punk friends, and I couldn’t relate to anyone around me,” Bhaskaran wrote. This collection serves as both a narrative and a protest. The protest for change is emphasized by the conclusion of “TRIBE,” with three women dressed as the French flag, with red, white, and blue representing liberté, égalité, fraternité.

Bhaskaran concludes his show with “GODS,” an acknowledgement of whatever it is that has protected him through his journey. He presents an unrelenting power, both in diversity and in numbers. Among the final looks, models carry limp bodies over their shoulders, symbolic manifestations of “The One Percent.” Unlike their Autumn/Winter 2026 collection, titled “The One Percent,” Matières Fécales has now chosen to embody the people. “The Ninety Nine Percent” is a fashion show, a performance, a story, and a revolution.