Celebrated as one of the most avant-garde designers of our time, Iris van Herpen continues to blur the boundaries between fashion, contemporary art, and cutting-edge technology. Following its world premiere at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, her groundbreaking exhibition, Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses, is set to captivate audiences at Kunsthal Rotterdam starting September 27, 2025. This immersive showcase honors the Dutch designer’s transformative approach to haute couture and offers a sensory exploration of her imaginative universe.
An Intersection of Art, Science, and Technology
Van Herpen’s work transcends the conventions of fashion by merging traditional craftsmanship with innovative technologies such as 3D printing. Her ability to synthesize art, science, and technology has earned her collaborations with prominent figures like architect Philip Beesley and multidisciplinary artist Neri Oxman. Through these partnerships, she has pushed the boundaries of material and form, redefining what couture can achieve.
Her designs have also graced iconic figures such as Lady Gaga, Björk, Beyoncé, and Scarlett Johansson, elevating her reputation as a pioneer in contemporary fashion. By integrating elements from natural sciences, such as fossils and skeletons, her creations challenge perceptions of femininity and explore the relationship between the body, clothing, and the environment.
A Homage to Avant-Garde Couture
At Kunsthal Rotterdam, Sculpting the Senses will feature over a hundred haute couture masterpieces, displayed alongside contemporary artworks and design objects by creators such as Collectif Mé, Wim Delvoye, and Kohei Nawa. This interdisciplinary exhibition bridges fashion and art, inviting visitors to reconsider the role of clothing in a rapidly evolving world. Van Herpen’s designs engage in dialogue with these pieces, emphasizing her philosophy of ‘slow fashion’ while pushing the boundaries of creativity.
The exhibition is curated by Cloé Pitiot and assistant curator Louise Curtis in collaboration with Maison Iris van Herpen. It includes a multisensory sound composition by Salvador Breed, designed to enhance the visitor experience. The innovative exhibition design by Studio Nathalie Crinière provides a fitting backdrop to the futuristic works on display.
Fashion Meets Emotion
Reflecting on her journey, Van Herpen remarked, “Working on a larger scale has been incredibly liberating. The intersection of art and design allows for a unique exploration of emotion and movement. While fashion emphasizes beauty and proportion, art captures the essence of an emotion and conveys it to the audience.”
Her Paris exhibition—opened by Queen Máxima—set the stage for this exploration, offering a retrospective that seamlessly merged fashion, art, and science. With its continuation in Rotterdam, audiences will delve deeper into Van Herpen’s visionary ethos, where every piece transcends the traditional confines of fashion and enters the realm of imagination.
A Future of Endless Possibilities
Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses raises profound questions about the future of fashion and its intersection with technology. It challenges visitors to envision a world where the boundaries between disciplines dissolve, opening up endless possibilities for creative expression. Running until March 2, 2026, the exhibition is a must-see for anyone intrigued by the transformative power of design.
