Iris

Dutch designer Iris van Herpen will mark 15 years in haute couture with a 'mixed reality' fashion show in Paris on July 4.

We are working with Microsoft with their newest HoloLenses, and they are in a very good quality of showing the intricacy of my designs. The new generation is still focused on rtw, but there is a business in couture as well, and it’s a very sustainable one. Architecture is also a big part of my world and my inspiration. They are such high fidelity, and such high polygon counts and level of quality that I can really express the work in a way that is close to the couture. Dance and art are the forces of my vision, and it’s the movement and transformation in relationship to the body that really excites me. The laws of physics are what I have to deal with, but my goal is always to try and push the limits of those laws in the materiality that I work with. Interestingly enough, most of the clients who come to us will show one or two looks that are their favorites, and then most of the time I customize a design based on that technique. One of the women I’ve been working with for a long time now is Björk. She also has been one of the very first ones to acquire a piece. It has been very challenging in order to get the softness and the delicacy into the 3D printing that is required for haute couture. Most of the clients who come to us are fascinated by the movements of the garments, because they behave so differently on the body than looks made of a plain silk, for example. It’s a place where there is time and space for the development of new techniques, and new materials. We are independent, as well, and I’m very proud of that, and that we found a healthy balance between art and commerce.