The Futuristic Fashion World of Iris Van Herpen

It is often said that ‘fashion imitates life,’ but one designer in particular knows what it means to imitate the future, and her name is Iris Van Herpen.

From early beginnings, the Dutch designer was heavily immersed in the arts via dancing, painting, and playing violin, before discovering her passion for fashion design in her high school years. She acquired skills one by one—sewing, pattern making, and embroidery—and eventually earned her spot at the Fashion Design at Artez Institute of the Arts Arnhem. Beyond her studies, she interned with powerhouse designers in the industry like Alexander McQueen and Claudy Jongstra. As she developed her technical skills, the foundation of her compelling and unique stylistic approach started to take shape.

In 2007, she launched her first collection and developed the Maison of Iris Van Herpen. The collection featured the reconstruction of 700 umbrellas into brass ribs that were plastered onto her garments. These crafty and technologically advanced designs took the fashion world by storm and even caught the attention of The Groninger Museum, who offered to buy some of her collection.

All Courtesy of Vogue

The renowned designer is now establishing the blueprint for the future of fashion, integrating advanced technology like 3D printing into her dark fantastical designs. Her brand is committed to “pushing an interdisciplinary dialogue between nature, art, science, dance and architecture” (via Maison Iris Van Herpen). She often combines mediums and disciplines in her designs to progress the field of fashion and present innovative ways of using technology.

*Courtesy of Iris van Herpen on Youtube*

Iris Van Herpen also notably collaborates with other artists across disciplines, including dancer and choreographer Nanine Linning, architect Neri Oxmann, visual artist Bart Hess, jewelry designer Heaven Tanudiredja, director and filmmaker Joost Vandebrug. Since 2010, when she presented her first 3D-printed dress from the Crystallization Collection, she has been a member of the exclusive Fédération de la Haute Couture in Paris and presents her collections bi-annually at Paris Haute Couture Week. Her work can be seen in museums like the MET in New York City, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, among many others.

*Courtesy of ‘Sculpting the Senses’ exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs*

Whether it’s her use of texture and form or her captivating command of silhouette and color, Van Herpen’s designs are a masterclass in fashion artistry. As the industry adapts to make way for new technological practices and artificial intelligence when it comes to design and production, it is clear that she will be one of the pioneers spearheading this futuristic revolution.