Iris Van Herpen is known for her futuristic fashion using technology and unconventional materials, and outfitting forward-thinking celebrities like Lady Gaga and Grimes.

Born in 1984 in the Netherlands, Van Herpen studied fashion at the ArtEZ University of the Arts in Arnhem before going on to intern with Alexander McQueen after her graduation in 2006, and then starting her own label in 2007.

A former dancer, Iris is fascinated with capturing emotion, movement, and nature in her work. “Through biomimicry I look at the forces behind the forms in nature, these patterns and natural cycles are my guide to explore new forms. I continue to ask, can emotions be materialised? I believe it’s possible to merge, stir and sculpt our senses through a sensitive balance of textures, shapes and colors. ” [1]

‘Chemical Crows’, F/W 2008

Iris’ first collection, ‘Chemical Crows‘ in 2007, was inspired by crows and ancient alchemists. Her full breakdown of the show can be found here.

‘Refinery Smoke’, S/S 2009

This collection referenced “smoke”, and used metal mesh.

‘Mummification’, F/W 2009

Inspired by mummies for this collection, her designs featured complicated laces and grommets.

‘Crystallization’, S/S 2011 (RTW)

This collection, inspired by trying to capture the essence of water, was the first time that she used 3-D printing to create a dress, in collaboration with architect Daniel Widrig. This would later become a core part of her design technique.

‘Escapism‘, S/S 2011 (Couture)

For this collection she again worked with Daniel Widrig on creating 3D works.

‘Capriole’, F/W 2011

This collection’s most iconic look was the skeleton dress (below) that she reports to be one of her favorite dresses, as it captures the inside of the body on the outside and captures the human body. According to Vogue: “It’s also a personal favorite of hers. ‘This dress visualizes the inside of the body outside,’ Van Herpen told Vogue. To me it represents freedom and imperfection, and between those two is where beauty can be found.'”

‘Voltage‘, S/S 2013

This collection is inspired by lightning, and uses 3D printed materials in different ways than we’d seen in previous collections.

‘Wilderness Embodied’, F/W 2013

2016-2024 Couture

Through the years her designs have become more and more complex, and she has an ever growing list of collaborators across mediums. For the sake of time we won’t provide a comprehensive list here, but we absolutely recommend checking out Vogue Runway, her website, and her YouTube channel to explore her collections in more depth.

Celebrity fashion

Her work has been worn by many different celebrities through the years, including Lady Gaga, Dove Cameron, and Grimes.

Techniques

Iris uses numerous unique techniques, that are best understood by watching the videos (but even then It would take expert knowledge to execute, which is why she regularly collaborates with experts across science and technology.)

Amongst them, she’s most known for:
– 3D printing
– Laser cutting
– Use of unconventional materials such as metals, glass, and plastics
– Magnetic manipulation

3d Printing

Iris van Herpen was one of the first designers to use 3D printing in her designs (first used in her 2011 collection “Crystallizations”), and is one of the techniques that she’s best known for.

Iris’ team has a wealth of information on her website, and videos of her shows can be found on YouTube – we highly recommend watching the runway shows and exploring the other behind-the-scenes videos and information if you resonate with her designs.

Sources:

https://www.artbasel.com/news/iris-van-herpen-dutch-fashion-designer-couture-musee-arts-decoratifs-paris-2024?lang=en
[1] https://www.irisvanherpen.com/about/the-maison
https://www.irisvanherpen.com/
https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/designer/iris-van-herpen