Irina Shayk has said she was “honoured” to wear a fake lion head on her dress as part of a fashion show in France.
The 37-year-old model said the “image of pride” was made by “incredible artists” at fashion house Schiaparelli for her to walk the runway during Haute Couture Week in Paris.
Using hand-sculpted foam, resin, wool and silk faux fur, the brand said the imitation lion head had been “hand-painted to look as life-like as possible”.
Shayk told her followers on Instagram: “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 🖤.”
Kylie Jenner also posted on Instagram, showing off a similar lion head dress by the fashion house.
The 25-year-old reality TV star of Keeping Up With The Kardashians fame wrote: “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. thank you @danielroseberry and @schiaparelli for such a special morning.
“Wow i loved wearing this faux art creation constructed by hand using manmade materials. beautiful beautiful.”
Her mother Kris Jenner commented on the post: “My little lioness you are so beautiful.”
Another model, Shalom Harlow, 49, wore a snow leopard look as part of the new Schiaparelli collection unveiled in Paris.
Completing the concept was Naomi Campbell, 52, who wore a long black furry coat with a wolf head on the side.
Schiaparelli creative director Daniel Roseberry told his followers on Instagram the leopard, the lion and the she-wolf designs were all inspired by part of Dante Alighieri’s poem Divine Comedy called Inferno.
In another dress by Schiaparelli, rapper Doja Cat wore 30,000 Swarovski crystals at a haute couture show held at Petit Palais in Paris.
The red crystals were attached to her head and body. She also wore a red silk bustier and a hand-knitted skirt of lacquered wooden beads and boots.
Schiaparelli was founded in 1927 and its designs have recently been worn by actress Julia Roberts and singer Rihanna.
But it is not the only brand with unexpected fashion.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid walked the runway dressed as a flower bouquet, complete with plastic wrapping and a bow, at a Milan show for Moschino in 2018.
In 2019, as part of Christian Dior’s haute couture show, models were dressed in circus-style clothing.
In addition, Comme Des Garcons has recently been putting models’ heads in cages as part of its collections.