Exhibition Iris Van Herpen Paris – Sculpting the senses. Exhibition Nov 29th 2023 – April 28th 2024. As a pioneering figure in the fusion of technology and haute couture, Iris Van Herpen’s exhibition in Paris presents a stunning visual feast that showcases her innovative spirit. The exhibit, titled Sculpting the Senses, is a deep dive into her unique approach to fashion, which often transcends conventional norms. By integrating cutting-edge techniques such as 3D printing and materials rarely used in fashion, Van Herpen’s work challenges our perceptions of what clothing can be.
Exhibition Iris van Herpen paris
This exhibition showcases the work of one of the most visionary fashion designers of her generation. Iris Van Herpen seeming creativity was influenced by two passions developed early in life. The living world and classical dance. Both of which would later become central elements of her work. She transgresses conventional norms of fashion, blending both traditional and innovative techniques.
This retrospective celebrates her future-facing and multi-disciplinary approach and is constructed as an immersive experience, around 9 themes that combines fashion, contemporary art, design and science. From micro to macro, the exhibition interrogates the body in space, our identities and our future in a rapidly transforming world. A selection of over one hundred haute-couture pieces made by Iris van Herpen can be found at this exhibition in Paris.
Key Takeaways
- Van Herpen’s Paris exhibition merges fashion with advanced technology.
- Immersive experience constructed around 9 themes – going through 11 rooms
- A specific sound composition has been created by Salvador Breed to further immerse the visitor in this exhibition
- We will go through some most iconic designs before explaining in details Iris Van Herpen Technics, artistic collaborations and use of technology into haute couture.
- The showcase offers educational insights into the intersection of art, nature, and technology in modern couture.
What to see at the Iris Van Herpen Exhibition Paris? Most iconic themes and design
You might not have time to stay over 2 hours. We wrote a full review, and try to highlight the key themes and design you have to look while attending the Iris Van Herpen Exhibition in Paris.
1- Water and dreams: Iris Van Herpen Water Dress

In Iris van Herpen’s creations, water, whether in liquid, frozen, or gaseous form, consistently takes center stage. The 2010 “Crystallisation” collection notably showcased water as a principal focus. As a fundamental element in the human body, it cascades from her dresses, transcending the invisible flow that defines our essence. From a single raindrop to a powerful tsunami, water serves as a poetic allegory and a gateway to the shadowy realms. It symbolizes both harmony and chaos, appearing in various forms such as foam, crystallized liquid, or waves, constantly fueling the designer’s rich creativity.
Iris van Herpen’s aquatic creations unfurl the enigma and metaphorical potency of water, showcased through bubbles hanging in space, transparent misty fields, and waves in hues of turquoise or deep blue. Across an array of fabrics, materials, and techniques, from blown glass to thermoformed Plexiglas, and from laser cutting to Suminagashi – a Japanese method of marbled ink drawings – her pieces transcend conventional boundaries, offering a mesmerizing exploration of water’s artistic expression.


2- Water and dreams: Crystallisation collection from Iris van Herpen


3- Water and dreams: Robe and coiffe Frozen Falls from Iris Van Herpen
Iris Van Herpen (born in 1984), Netherlands, Frozen Falls, Collection “Syntopia”. Kimono Boubou, laser cut, Organza.



4- Sensory Seas Collection: Robe Sensory Seas

Beneath the ocean’s surface lies an unseen world, essential to Earth’s life. Iris Van Herpen’s 2020 collection, “Sensory Seas,” finds inspiration in this hidden ecosystem and its planktonic creatures. Broadening the scope, sea animals influence the intricate designs and textures of her dresses. The designer consistently draws inspiration from single-cell organisms and the Hydrozoa family, including ethereal jellyfish, shaping her creations with a deep connection to marine wonders.


5- Sensory Seas collection: Hydromedusa Dress 2020

The Hydromedusa dress, born from the “Sensory Seas” collection, takes inspiration from the hues, shapes, and textures of the deep sea. Crafted with precision, it features numerous digitally printed organza circles, meticulously heat-bonded in layers onto laser-cut fabric dendrites. The outcome of this intricate assembly process yields asymmetrical structures reminiscent of the fluid movements of a jellyfish.


6- Sensory Seas Collection: Hydrozoa Dress

Crafted with turquoise and purple abstract paintings, the Hydrozoa gown aims to capture the essence of “ocean life.” Comprising a cascade of meticulously laser-cut PetG arches, seamlessly fused to multiple tiers of digitally printed glass organza, the dress mirrors the fluidity of coral undulating in the water as it gracefully moves.
7- Iris Van Herpen Argiope and magnetic moon

Collaborating with Jólan van der Wiel, the Magnetic Moon dress delves into the dynamics of electromagnetic fields, employing methodologies reminiscent of the designer’s Gravity furniture crafted in 2011. Utilizing a blend of resin and iron fillings on cotton, the material takes on a three-dimensional, moon-like iridescence through the manipulation of magnetic forces. As the concoction dries, a captivating lunar surface emerges, seemingly oscillating between the conflicting realms of harmony and chaos


8- Meta Morphism collection: Arachne Dress

Mimicking the anatomy of a spider, the Arachne bustier dress metamorphoses the human body into a hybrid creature. Crafted from upcycled materials, including mylar heat-bonded onto white polyester silk, the dress is intricately laser-cut and embroidered onto an unseen tulle corset, from which numerous strands radiate outward. At the tips of each strand, crystal beads sway delicately with even the slightest movement of the body.
9- Collection “Chemical Crows”: June et collier alchemic

Enthralled by the mystique of alchemy, Iris van Herpen brings her vision to life through the creation of her Alchemic gown. Using approximately a hundred golden umbrella ribs, meticulously arranged and hand-sewn onto leather straps, she transforms these ordinary objects into something extraordinary. The material itself undergoes a metamorphosis under her skilled hands. Adorning the face and bust, the metal rods evoke the grace and strength of ancient samurai armor. Breaking free from conventional fashion norms, van Herpen merges tradition with a futuristic perspective, accentuating the skirt with threads of blue-azure intertwined with horizontal gray leather stripes.

