The look is stark. Models walked the Place de la République runway with faces painted almost entirely white, accented by bold red lips and dramatic streaks of red pigment resembling sindoor trailing up toward the nose. It’s not your typical bridal glow; it’s intentionally unsettling, pairing that pale canvas with deep black lipstick on other models to create an eerie, otherworldly effect. The texture on the runway appeared matte and heavy, designed to look like a mask rather than natural skin.
This isn’t random. The collection by Matières Fécales, co-designed by Steven Raj Bhaskaran and Hannah Rose, was explicitly built around identity and the 'outsider' experience. Bhaskaran, who has Sri Lankan and Guyanese roots, spoke to Hypebae about representing communities pushed to the edges of fashion. The white face and red markings were read by many as a direct commentary on the fetishization of people of color by the elite, turning the model into a symbol of being 'othered' rather than just a beauty standard.
The internet, naturally, split in two. One camp saw a powerful, McQueen-esque political statement. A commenter on social media noted, “I think they’re spotlighting the fetishisation of people of colour by the 1%.” Others weren’t buying it. The phrase “chudail couture” trended quickly, with users mocking the ghoulish aesthetic as clumsy or derivative. One user quipped, “Ramsay Core is here,” while another asked if this was truly more provocative than McQueen’s iconic horror-themed shows.
If you want to try a version of this at home, skip the full-face white paint unless you’re doing a costume. Instead, focus on the contrast. Use a matte white cream blush or highlighter on the cheekbones and nose bridge, then draw a thin, sharp line of red liquid liner from the hairline down the center of the forehead to mimic the sindoor streak. Pair it with a deep, matte black or dark plum lip. It’s a high-maintenance look that requires steady hands and a strong opinion on your own face.
This piece is less about replicating the exact 'chudail' vibe and more about understanding the narrative behind the makeup. Fashion is currently using beauty as a vehicle for political speech, and this show is the loudest example yet. Whether you find it brilliant or bizarre, it’s forcing a conversation about who gets to wear culture and how. For now, it remains a runway moment, but the debate over cultural appropriation in beauty is far from over.