Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Instagram feed is the stuff fashion dreams are made of: a behind-the-scenes look at the fabulous glamour that the designer presents to the world, imbued with the warmth that makes him such a beloved figure in this industry.

Today, he presented a snapsH๏τ from his atelier, disclosing an image of two of his makers, Rita and Giada, who created Kaia Gerber’s look for his recent spring/summer 2020 haute couture show: Kaia sprawled across their tables atop sheets of tissue paper and satin; the women adjusting the seam on her hip. “The dream of couture needs many different individualities to become real,” writes Piccioli of the collection, which was inspired by that sentiment. “Each step leaves a unique imprint. After all, according to Carl Jung, uniqueness is what makes all human beings identical.”

It’s a philosophy that marries well with Pierpaolo’s own: one of the reasons his shows regularly appear so phenomenal is the way in which he clearly sees each of his models as people rather than clotheshorses, and creates clothing for them which makes them feel — and look — like the best version of themselves.

“The way he sees women is strong, and beautiful. He wants you to feel good in what he creates. He’s one of the designers who, when you walk out wearing his clothes, makes a point of making you feel special. Whenever I leave that fitting, I feel special,” Kaia told me immediately after walking his autumn 2019 couture runway in July. “Last time, walking down the runway, I started crying… it feels like [if] someone were to paint a masterpiece, and you were to carry it around with you. Or imagine crawling inside a statue at the Louvre.”