Iris Van Herpen is a Dutch fashion designer whose stunning garments have been worn by Beyonce, Bjork, Cate Blanchett, Lady Gaga, JLo and Tilda Swinton (to name a few). The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art is currently holding an exhibition of 130 garments and accessories of her work and is a must-see exhibition.
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As a leader in the field of digital 3D printing to create stunning sculptural fabrics which are then combined with hand-crafting to create uniquely beautiful couture garments, Iris Van Herpen’s distinctive creative process is a blend of both traditional Haute Couture craftsmanship and future-facing technology.
Iris Van Herpen has been fascinated by the natural world her whole life, and this plays out in her collections, from inspiration coming from biology, architecture, chemistry, and physics and with a passion for art and dance you can see in her designs a deep connection to the physicality of the body.
She is passionate about the natural world and uses many different materials in her gowns, from upcycled ocean plastic waste, to banana fibre, silk, leather, cotton, lace, and mylar to name a few.
After an internship with Alexander McQueen and Claudy Jongstra, Van Herpen opened her own atelier, the Maison Iris Van Herpen in Amsterdam in 2007.
The work in each of these garments is exquisite. The detail quite mind blowing.
As a quick example here’s her Magnetosphere dress from her 2021 Earthrise Collection which she made in collaboration with artist Rogan Brown. which took more than 640 hours to complete. It’s delicate vegetal forms are constructed from multiple laser-cut lace made from upcycled ocean plastic and coastal debris. These layers are individually stitched to fluidly encircle the bodice. Reflecting van Herpen’s desire to live in symbiosis with nature, the dress is also a celebration of the transformation of waste materials into avant-garde, but sustainable Haute couture.
Here are three steps in the construction of one of her gowns, from the paper toile to the final finished garment.
Here’s the dress worn by Queen Bey (Beyonce) for her Renaissance tour show in Amsterdam. This Heliosphere Gown is made from 980 falcate shapes which were 3D constructed by casting silver-marbled silicone into mirrored later cut outlines. These were then individually stitched onto nude illusion tulle and interspersed with monochromatic Swarovski crystals. It took 12 people to create this gown over 700 hours.
Iris Van Herpen dress for Beyonce Concert
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Iris Van Herpen – dress made with umbrella spokes
Iris Van Herpen – made from glass
This dress is made from sustainable banana fibres
The exhibition is on until 7 October 2024. Find out more about Iris van Herpen’s Work Here.