Iris' Inspiration
“I find beauty in the continual shaping of chaos which clearly embodies the primordial power of nature’s performance.” - Iris Van Herpen
Dutch fashion designer Iris Van Herpen has left a mark on the high fashion industry through her innovative technological craftsmanship and curious disposition. After her debut fashion show in 2008, Van Herpen’s brand quickly gained traction and only three short years later, she unveiled her first Haute Couture collection in Paris. While designers come and go, Van Herpen has remained modern through her inventive techniques, and with it comes the endless amount of admiration from her peers.
Van Herpen’s unorthodox fabrics, silhouettes and sources of inspiration have become recognizable motifs of her brand and easily set her apart from the rest of the industry. The Fall 2017 Haute Couture collection, AERIFORM, explored the idea of elements and materials being airborne, and how to materialize the moment through light and shadow. Arguably the most memorable piece from this collection was the water dress, in which water appears to be frozen mid-splash around the model’s body– a display of ingenuity and playfulness. The Fall 2019 Haute Couture collection, Hypnosis, inspired by artist Anthony Howe, sought to convey the same meditative feel as his kinetic, spherical sculpture, the Omniverse. The purpose of both Van Herpen’s and Howe’s art forms was to convey infinite expansion and contraction, and nature’s relationship with such. The finale dress perfectly encapsulated the theme as a model emerged in a white dress with rings of petals that circulated and rotated around her like rings on Saturn.
A dress like that is not made with a simple sewing machine. Only with precisely weighted petals, perfectly aligned gears, and strategically cut fabric can a dress of that caliber operate in complete perfection. In fact, all of Van Herpen’s designs require a high level of precision in order to achieve her other-worldly visions. She achieves this perfection by 3D printing her designs, and she was the first to release an entire collection utilizing this technique. The precise cuts and laser-focused detailing result in harmoniously balanced silhouettes and visually illusive movements. In the Hypnosis collection, one dress is made of fabric laser-cut into fine strips and heat bonded onto transparent tulle so that it appears as though the fabric is flowing like a river down the model’s body.
In 2016, the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art put on the exhibit Manus x Machina: Fashion in the Age of Technology. The grand opening of the annually-changing exhibit was celebrated with a small, demure event affectionately called the “Met Gala.” Ever heard of it? This exhibit focused on the changing technologies and techniques designers incorporate in their respective creations. Displays included dresses from the 19th century following the invention of the sewing machine, and followed the progression of technological processes in fashion all the way up to 3D-printing garments, where Iris Van Herpen’s gowns were perched.
Leading the way in technological advances in the fashion industry, it is in Iris Van Herpen’s nature to explore, experiment and grow in her craft, all while inspiring the next generation to follow suit. In a world of generic, overdone and underwhelming designs, a designer like Van Herpen is one to be watched, cherished and supported, because she is the future of fashion.
Written by Parker Elkins, Photography: Zayna Sayyed, Design: Alyssa Lazarchik, Social Media: Zaara Hashmy, Styling: Jiya Ghorpade, Event: Kyla Hooper