Fans of Doja Cat who have trypophobia say her head-to-toe red Schiaparelli look at Paris Fashion Week triggered their fear of small holes. The singer, 27, arrived at the star-studded show on Monday and commanded attention with her bold look which saw her covered in red body paint and 30,000 Swarovski crystals.
The outfit, which took five hours to perfect, was a ‘trigger’ for numerous fans, who took to Twitter to share their disgust at how the outfit made their trypophobia ‘act up’ after seeing photos of her in the French capital.
Doja, whose real name is Amalia Dlamini, had a red satin corset along with a lavishly beaded skirt and knee-high boots.
She added some extra drama to the already out-there look with a long shawl and large ruby earrings.
But it was the small detail in the outfit which caused a negative reaction amongst fans who have a fear of everyday objects which look to have closely packed holes.
It is a phobia which appears to befar more widespread than previously thought and the internet is helping to highlight just how common it is.
The outfit also featured a red satin corset along with a lavishly beaded skirt and knee-high boots.
Some psychologists believe it may be a latent phobia that is a hangover from ancient threats such as beehives, poisonous flowers and venomous creatures.
In a piece for The Conversation, Professor Arnold Wilkins, a psychologist at the University of Essex, explains the discomfort that comes from the geometry of the holes making excessive demands on the brain.
A case in point is ‘visual snow’, which individuals experience as bright dots persistently floating like snow across their vision. Another is trypophobia.
But it was the small detail in the outfit which caused a negative reaction amongst fans who have a fear of everyday objects which look to have closely packed holes
Trypophobia – a ‘fear of holes’ – is a condition which triggers individuals to suffer an emotional reaction when viewing seemingly innocuous images of clusters of objects, usually holes.
The condition was first described on the internet in 2005 though it is not yet a recognised medical diagnosis.
The images responsible for the emotion include natural objects such as honeycomb or the lotus seed head, and man-made objects such as aerated chocolate or stacked industrial pipes viewed end-on.
Make-up Artist Pat McGrath told Vogue: ‘Collaborating with the incomparably talented Doja Cat and Daniel Roseberry was an absolute pleasure’
Despite their seemingly innocuous nature, images such as these – ideal for sharing on the internet -can induce a variety of symptoms.
These include cognitive changes that reflect anxiety, bodily symptoms that are skin-related – such as itchiness and goose-bumps – and physiological changes, such as nausea, a racing heart or trouble catching breath.
A fan suffering with this phobia said on Twitter after seeing Doja’s look:’Of course Doja is attending the function as high fashion trypophobia.
‘I admire her commitment to art and fashion but that girl loves to show her kinda gross side.’
Another wrote: ‘Doja’s look is sick but the texture is making my trypophobia act up.’
A third added: ‘Of course Doja is attending the function as high fashion trypophobia. I admire her commitment to art and fashion but that girl loves to show her kinda gross side.’
Someone else said: ‘That clip of doja going around is triggering my trypophobia omg it looks so gross but very couture good for her but i dont wanna see again.’
Similarly, another wrote: ‘I love how Doja’s look turned out. Just can’t stare for too long cos I start to itch and feel funny …serious case of trypophobia.’
Amongst many others writing about it the social media platform, one penned: ‘Anyone who retweets Doja’s look on my TL is gonna be blocked. What in the trypophobia!’ and someone replied: ‘It’s making my skin crawl.’
‘I don’t like that red trypophobia triggering doja cat’s look i wish i’ve never seen it.’
‘Gross’: Someone else said: ‘That clip of doja going around is triggering my trypophobia omg it looks so gross but very couture good for her but i dont wanna see again’
Schiaparelli was founded in 1927 by it’s Elsa Schiaparelli, now known for it’s unconventional themes the label has been worn by the likes of Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian.
Doja also had her makeup done by legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath, who spoke to Vogue about the ‘absolute pleasure’ she had in collaborating with the songstress.
She said: ‘Collaborating with the incomparably talented Doja Cat and Daniel Roseberry was an absolute pleasure.
‘Her patience and dedication as she sat with Team Pat McGrath and I for four hours and 58 minutes to achieve the creation, covered in over 30,000 hand-applied Swarovski crystals, was truly inspiring.’
Doja Cat later walked the runway with her colour and had a coordinated entourage
