Everything you need to know about Kylie Jenner's lion head dress

Kylie Jenner, Naomi Campbell and Doja Cat among celebrities drawing attention to Schiaparelli's controversial spring 2023 Haute Couture collection. (Photo: Getty Images)
Kylie Jenner, Naomi Campbell and Doja Cat were a few of the celebrities drawing attention to Schiaparelli's spring 2023 Haute Couture collection. (Photo: Getty Images)

Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week is happening. Why do you need to know this? And why should you care? Well, Schiaparelli's show on Monday is causing a stir thanks to a realistic-looking lion head worn by Kylie Jenner, Doja Cat's embellished beauty and the extravagant runway looks.

The high-level takeaways

  • Jenner sat front row at Schiaparelli, a French fashion brand led by creative director Daniel Roseberry, rocking a ruched black velvet gown with a fake lion's head made of faux fur, foam and resin on the front.

  • While some called the look "disturbing" and "inappropriate," PETA praised it. "Kylie's look celebrates lions' beauty and may be a statement against trophy hunting, in which lion families are torn apart to satisfy human egotism," Ingrid Newkirk, PETA's president, told TMZ.

  • Doja Cat was also in attendance — but was unrecognizable as her body was painted red and decorated with 30,000 Swarovski crystals.

What people are saying...

Fashionphile or not, lots of people have opinions on Schiaparelli's latest work.

On TikTok

Pop culture commentator Cami Twomey points out that Jenner wasn't the only person wearing a lifelike animal head as a part of her look. In fact, Irinia Shayk wore the same lion head down the runway, while Shalom Harlow walked with a snow leopard on the front of her dress and Naomi Campbell wore a faux black wolf coat.

Behind-the-scenes moments posted on TikTok included a peek at Jenner stroking her faux lion's mane while sitting front row, and Doja Cat arriving to her call time with makeup artist Pat McGrath's team at 4:00am.

And finally, TikTok star Tinx asked the question we're all wondering: How the hell did Doja remove all of those crystals and paint after the show?

On Instagram

Style Not Com kept followers in the know with a full report of the Schiaparelli show, which included some insight into Roseberry's inspiration for the "Inferno" collection.

Both Jenner and the Schiaparelli brand used their own pages to assure onlookers that the animal heads were manmade. "NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN MAKING THIS LOOK," the brand wrote, referring to the faux fur, foam and resin structures.

Shayk defended the lion head, writing, "I support these incredible artists who worked tirelessly, with their hands, using wool, silk, and foam, to sculpt this embroidered Lion, and image of Pride, An image that @schiaparelli invokes while exploring themes of strength. I am honored to have been called on as well to lend my art as a woman to this @danielroseberry."

Commenters had no problem expressing their unfavorable opinions.

"It’s sickening to see the images of these endangered animals in the form of pelts!" model Christie Brinkley commented. "The beauty of these magnificent animals comes when we see them roaming alive respected protected and free. This is a huge fashion FAUX 'PAW'‼️"

"This is highly inappropriate," wrote another, "prop or not this should never have been designed."

Friends and fans of Jenner also praised the look and the channeling of her Leo energy.

As for Doja's striking look, people were less offended by her ensemble but more shocked when McGrath revealed that the head-to-toe makeup took 4 hours and 58 minutes to complete.

On Twitter

Jenner's look was both denounced and defended by people who brought their thoughts to Twitter.

The only debate regarding Doja was whether the look was worth hours in a makeup chair or not.

Even still, her commitment is being praised.

In the press

  • Vogue put out a lookbook of everything presented in the show, providing some context for Jenner and Doja's extreme looks. The publication also provided details from the show's notes that clarified Roseberry's intentions, sharing that "he wanted to celebrate 'the glory of nature and guarding the woman who wears it.'" And unlike other fashion shows, those presenting at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week aren't meant to be wearable. "For designers, the point is to push the boundaries of craftsmanship and technique; For celebrities attending the shows, it’s an opportunity to let their style creativity run wild," the fashion publication wrote. "It’s clear both Schiaparelli and Jenner were on the same page here."

  • Tara Gonzalez writes in Harper's Bazaar that "the reaction to the show feels as much a take on Dante's Inferno as the clothing, which was perhaps the point all along. Roseberry knew he could be thrown to the wolves of the internet—which is arguably the tenth circle of hell — for this and appears to be welcoming it."

  • The Cut noted that "couture is an industry where craftsmanship and art reign supreme and in itself is known for pushing the boundaries of what fashion can be. Schiaparelli specifically often takes those themes and turns them on their heads with detail-oriented artistry and a signature take on Surrealism.

  • both illustrated the ways that Jenner's look specifically divided the internet and evaluated both sides of the argument.

  • HighSnobriety pointed out that the surreal animal heads were a bold mood for any fashion house on the heels of the recent Balenciaga scandal. "One figures that fashion brands are currently walking on eggshells," the piece read. "Schiaparelli's inspiration and resulting designs surely seemed inoffensive on paper. Who could've expected the animal heads to blow up like they did?"

  • As Forbes put it, "You never know what you’re going to get at a Schiaparelli show, sure you know it’s going to be flamboyant with lots of gold and elaborate jewelry pieces. But, the House isn’t predictable nor was this collection."

Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here.

This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission.