Haute couture has often been described as an art form. At Iris van Herpen, this idea becomes almost literal. Her creations do not simply dress the body: they transform it into a moving structure where artisanal know-how, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative aesthetics interact.
Presented at the Brooklyn Museum, the exhibition "Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses" offers an immersion into this singular universe, nourished by fields as diverse as astronomy, mineralogy, mycology, and marine biology. Wandering through the galleries, one has the impression of entering a landscape where fashion resonates with these various natural phenomena, evoking the often invisible structures of nature. The dresses sometimes seem to float, branch out, or unfold like living organisms.
Featuring over 140 haute couture creations, the exhibition traces the evolution of one of the most daring fashion designers of our time, who, for nearly two decades, has been pushing the boundaries of clothing. Her creations are presented alongside contemporary artworks, design pieces, scientific artifacts, and natural history specimens, highlighting the breadth of her sources of inspiration.
Born in 1984 in the Dutch village of Wamel, Iris van Herpen developed an early fascination with nature and movement. This sensitivity is reflected throughout her work. After founding her fashion house in Amsterdam in 2007, she quickly established herself as one of the most experimental designers of her generation.
She became particularly famous for introducing 3D printing into haute couture with her "Crystallization" collection in 2010. Since then, her work has explored materials and techniques that bring fashion closer to scientific research and technological design.
In the exhibition, several sections immerse the visitor in the themes that structure Van Herpen's universe: water, anatomy, movement, light, and the invisible structures of nature. Some dresses evoke coral reefs or organic networks; others seem to capture the movement of air or the fluidity of water.
What is particularly striking when visiting the exhibition is the almost sculptural dimension of these creations. The garments detach themselves from the body to become autonomous volumes, fragile architectures made of fibers, resins, printed structures or fabrics worked with extreme precision.
Iris van Herpen regularly collaborates with scientists, architects, and artists. In "Sculpting the Senses," her pieces are presented alongside artworks by Philip Beesley, Rogan Brown, Casey Curran, and Tim Walker, reinforcing the idea that fashion can be a field for interdisciplinary experimentation.
One section of the exhibition also recreates the atmosphere of the designer's studio, allowing visitors to understand the artisanal dimension of her work. For despite the use of advanced technologies, sewing remains at the heart of the process: each creation is the result of a constant dialogue between innovation and expertise.
Worn by iconic figures in the art and music scene – Björk, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga or Naomi Campbell – Van Herpen's creations have helped to redefine the relationship between fashion, performance and image.
But in the museum context, the designer's pieces take on a different dimension. They appear less as clothing than as hybrid forms, on the border between sculpture, design and scientific experimentation.
By bringing together couture, contemporary art and natural sciences, "Sculpting the Senses" shows how fashion can become a laboratory of ideas. In Iris van Herpen's work, clothing ceases to be a simple textile surface and becomes, in turn, a living organism, a moving architecture and a sensitive sketch of a future in the making.
“Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses”
Brooklyn museum
200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York (United States)
From May 16 to December 6, 2026
