Jul 28, 20202 min read

IRIS VAN HERPEN - METAMORPHOSIS

Updated: Dec 13, 2022

Redefining space and time is a procession of fluid movement at the unveiling of the collection, Sensory Seas, by Iris van Herpen. Comparing her mind to a labyrinth, Iris welcomes complexity into her process. A search for perfection underlings all her work. The designer ventures into the unknown and reaches out to the unlimited universe seeking challenges and welcoming failures, which is perhaps the most honest way of creating.

Iris van Herpen’s impatient curiosity and studios hand-crafting techniques balance each other in perfect equilibrium. Cared for by gentle hands of her team and her own, laser-cut translucent textiles are bound with the 3D printed flexible frames Into the free-flowing and breathing organisms. As models move, every airy layer changes position in precise order as intended by the creative mind. The hypnotic ethereal movement defies time and holds your energy captive.

Iris Van Herpen's Amsterdam studio is a witness to the incredible transformation of her vision.

The styles are vessels of the designer’s appreciation for nature, which she regards as her mentor. Her affinity for new knowledge directs her attention inward and into the darkness of the deep sea and the depth of the human brain, both of which remain largely undiscovered. There she studies the movement of matter, nature’s rhythms, and liquidity of existence, all of which engage in a weightless dance when materialized into haute couture gowns worn by real women.

“It’s a lifecycle, in my eyes. I find it incredibly beautiful when the circle of life is completed.” says Iris.

The designer takes risks to reinvent the existing techniques and materials by interlacing art, technology, and science into the process. It is there, in the crossroads of disciplines, her concepts come to life. Iris van Herpen's collaborative work is hoped to inspire a wave of change that will heal our relationship with nature.

“In the last few years, sustainability and our vision towards the future has become increasingly important. I realize the industry we work in is one of the few that will help determine the future of our planet,” adds Iris.