Photos show the controversial Schiaparelli runway where models wore realistic animal heads on their dresses

Schiaparelli presented its Spring 2023 collection on Monday as part of Paris Fashion Week.

The runway showcased the Italian fashion brand's new haute couture collection, which combined the brand's signature surrealist aesthetic and inspiration from Dante's "Inferno" poem.

"I didn't want it to be literal at all: we're not going into the nine circles of hell and meeting Satan at the end. That's not the point," Schiaparelli's creative director, Daniel Roseberry, told WWD about the collection. "But the point was really Dante himself and this story about trial, tribulation, doubt, and that you have to experience all of that in order to get to paradise."

Celebrities including Doja Cat, Kylie Jenner, and influencer Chiara Ferragni were in attendance wearing daring fashion.

The event quickly became controversial, as three models walked the runway in dresses adorned with realistic animal heads.

Model Shalom Harlow, for example, modeled a white leopard-print dress with a replica animal head attached to its bodice. 

Though the dress looked as if it were made from real fur, it was actually crafted from hand-painted wool and silk.

As Vogue reported, Roseberry wrote in the collection's notes that the animal designs were meant to celebrate "the glory of nature and guarding the woman who wears it."

"In this collection, you're never quite sure who made the piece you're looking at — was it nature? Or was it man?" he wrote, according to Vogue.

Both Irina Shayk and Kylie Jenner wore black gowns with massive, faux lion heads attached at the neckline.

Jenner wore a strapless version of the dress as an audience member, while Shayk modeled an asymmetrical, single-sleeved version on the runway.

Naomi Campbell, on the other hand, sported a jacket covered in fur-like material with a replica of a wolf's head placed at her shoulder.

On Instagram, Schiaparelli said the wolf, lion, and leopard designs were made to represent the "lust, pride, and avarice in Dante's iconic allegory."

The post also said the animal heads were "hand-sculpted" from materials including foam and resin, and "hand-painted to look as life-like as possible."

Some fashion fans have taken issue with the animal-inspired outfits, arguing that they promote trophy hunting.

Instagram posts from Jenner and Schiaparelli were quickly met with comments arguing that the animal-inspired looks were created in poor taste.

"It's sickening to see the images of these endangered animals in the form of pelts," model Christie Brinkley wrote in a comment on the designer's page. "It looks as though the models picked up the cruel hunters carpet and severed head wrapped them around themselves to be viewed as a stylish thing of beauty…pelts are a symbol of human's cruelty and ignorance. The beauty of these magnificent animals comes when we see them roaming alive respected protected and free. This is a huge fashion FAUX 'PAW'‼️"

Some celebrities, however, praised the animal looks on Instagram. Shay Mitchell left three fire emojis on Jenner's post, and Bella Thorne wrote "I'm obsessed" on the designer's page.

Representatives for Schiaparelli and Jenner did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. 

The rest of Schiaparelli's Spring 2023 collection focused on metallic fabrics, neutral shades, and sharp silhouettes.

The runway featured everything from quilted jackets with sharp shoulder pads to strapless gowns with tinsel-style detailing.

Other standout runway looks featured structural, strapless tops that partially covered the faces of models.

One such top, which was seemingly crafted from metal wire and green gemstones, was worn with brown trousers.

Another was gold and molded into waves that matched its ruched, floor-length skirt.

The Schiaparelli show wouldn't have been complete without the brand's signature anatomical accessories — all of which were metallic.

Whereas one model walked the runway with her face painted gold, another sported a thick, bronze mask that covered her head and shoulders. The latter model also wore Schiaparelli's toe heels.

Lastly, the fashion house embraced daring trends with a couple of see-through looks.

One such ensemble was a strapless, mesh dress with layers of ruffles from top to bottom. There was also a beaded gown with sheer panels across the model's stomach and legs.