Two words you don’t expect to hear on the red carpet: Fecal matter.
But at the 2026 Met Gala, Sarah Paulson and María Zardoya donned dresses by the Paris-based brand Matières Fécales—formerly known by its anglicized name. Paulson delivered social commentary via a shredded gray tulle ballgown from the fall 2026 collection, styled with white leather opera gloves and a money mask covering her eyes. Zardoya, meanwhile, wore a pink drop-waist confection with padded hips from spring 2026, that came with its own haunted doll purse.
Designers Hannah Rose Dalton and Steven Raj Bhaskaran are rapidly gaining traction on the red carpet. The 2026 Met Gala was just the latest eye-catching celebrity placement for the young brand: in March, Zendaya promoted The Drama in a salmon-hued, frayed chiffon gown from their spring 2026 collection; That same month, Paulson attended the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in a strong-shouldered cardigan and tutu skirt; and, in February, Lady Gaga graced the 2026 Grammys red carpet in a black feathered mermaid gown.
While the name may be a turn-off for some, it’s not hard to see why celebrities flock to the brand. There’s a surprising amount of range in the young designers’ work: safer dressers might respond to their proclivity for feminine, almost-classical silhouettes, pink tulle (a shade they call “cunty pink” after their Sphinx cat, Cunty), and downright pretty gowns. But more fashion-forward celebrities may be drawn to its subversion details: shredding, leather, and cheeky social commentary via money masks, bloody gloves, and pearl ball gags.
What is it about Matières Fécales that draws in this wide-ranging group of fashion-forward celebrities? Dalton and Bhaskaran don’t mince words. “Our singular vision,” they write in an email from Japan. “A lot of the major players in fashion are too concerned with pleasing everyone that their proposals are structured in the same way as fast-food restaurant menus. It’s all cash cows and greatest hits.”
The duo believes that the celebrities who wear Matières Fécales are unified by their disinterest in corporate fashion’s mind-numbing homogeneity. “I think those women and their teams are tired of that, as it’s meaningless and unsatisfying,” Dalton adds. “They are craving to taste something authentic that has soul and depth. To experience something intimate and personal.”
Gaga and Paulson are repeat supporters, but the brand is beginning to reach beyond Hollywood’s quirkier dressers. But make no mistake, while the designers are known for their distinct matching bald heads and severe black eye makeup, their big-tent fashion philosophy has broad appeal. “Freedom of expression is our main value. Being fearless in self-expression is not just our brand philosophy; it’s how we live our lives every day for over a decade now,” they say. “The Matières Fécales client really can be anyone, as long as they are willing to dare to be themselves.”
While many young brands can only dream of dressing Zendaya and Lady Gaga, or watching their work hit the Met steps, Dalton and Bhaskaran still have one more celebrity they’re hoping to dress: “Michelle Obama,” they say. “She is the ultimate embodiment of fearless beauty and uses her platform to fight for the same core value as us: freedom.”
“It would be so glam to see her in one of our tailoring sets,” they add.
