Iris Van Herpen is a well-known woman Dutch fashion designer; her series of works demonstrated in-depth study on materials as a research designer. She cooperated with other designers, such as architecture and industrial designers. The Dress (image 1) 2011 shows a great result of a dress made by different materials instead of using needles or thread. Iris Van Herpen used a 3D printer to produce lace structures were no need for needles and thread. Also, she has applied different hand plisse techniques that are mostly forgotten today. To compare between the traditional hand plisse techniques and the modern mechanically folded plisse, the result of the hand plisse techniques was more organic and changeable. Iris Van Herpen considered to used modern technic to mimic nature reality. According to Iris van Herpen studio, Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen is a famous creator that known as one of fashion’s most forward-thinking research designer, because she has pushed the boundaries of fashion design forward. During her first show in 2007, van Herpen has been focused with discovering new forms and methods of sartorial representation by including the most traditional working methods, innovative novel materials, and garment construction methods on her unusual creative vision.
The Dress 2011 which also called a sleeveless blue dress, it was formed from semi-transparent acrylic sheets, laser cut and mounted onto a tulle ground to create a shield-like shape. The materials were using polyamide, blue transparent acrylic sheets, lasered transparent acrylic sheets, metal satin, burned copper gauze, smocked leather, fabric. She used a fresh way of making clothes which are combining traditional sartorial practices with the latest technologies; both methods help her to present her abstract concept idea of cloth. There are several technologies Iris van herpen has used in her work which including some technologies from industrial and architecture field. For example, the injection molding, 3D print, laser cutting, alchemy and the metamorphoses of materials. These techniques help Iris van herpen to sculpt her clothes resemble a moving form. Furthermore, the overall shape of the Dress (2011) has four ellipses in front of it which demonstrates women’s significant features; To reform the form of women’s body, also she emphasis these features to approach a movement effect on this Dress.
The Dress 2011 displayed at the National Gallery of Victoria which is one of the famous international art and design museums in Melbourne. According to the description from the National Gallery of Victoria, the main idea from the report is Iris Van Herpen is exceptionally expert at using and founding distinct materials and latest technologies to made clothes, and she is also an excellent woman designer in fashion design who was one of the first designers to apply 3D-printing as an attire construction technique. It’s not curious that man dominated fashion design just like any other design major, such as industrial design and graphic design. Although there have been some unforgettable impressive women fashion designers, such as Channel and Prada, the significant protagonists are always male designers. Moreover, design research was also mostly dominated by male designers.
There was a revolutionary architecture designed by a modernism designer Le Corbusier – The Villa Savoye in Poissy (1928–1931), which was made by reinforced concrete. Reinforced concrete is a new material that has changed the vision of architecture. Moreover, this house breakthrough the general understanding of an ordinary house at the time; People considered that houses were usually built of wood and with a triangle roof. The using of the new materials at that time is a novel way of acknowledging the flexibility of this new material and the influenced of the elements. Le Corbusier had promoted the development of international architecture at that time by using reinforced concrete to build the Villa Savoye. The idea of the discovery of new materials and finding the way of using materials and technic from Le Corbusier is familiar with Iris van herpen. Iris van herpen as a female designer, she has mentioned that every woman deserved to own customs for themselves by using the latest technologies. She used the 3D print technic to scan women’s body to get the cloth that suits them. Iris van Herpen was considering about women figure and how to design great fabric that only for woman, she was really thought about the form of a specific woman and how to design a cloth that fit the woman accurately; And she also created cloth that combines laser cut, 3D print, and traditional methods. However, back to the fashion design, people considered wearing tide brand as fashion, tide brand was a white shirt or sweater that printed with a logo on them. Also, the so-called innovating development in tide brand is a white shirt or sweater printed with another different logo. However, it is hard to define innovation; Is changing the logo that printed on the hoodie defined as innovation or designers discover unique ideas on a project and have an exploration on new materials and novel ways of making clothes defined as innovation? Compare to the way that designers used to innovate the street fashion or tide brand; I recognized the Dress (2011) of Iris van herpen. Moreover, it is commendable that iris van herpen is a female fashion designer. I think that the young fashion designer should learn the spirit of Iris van herpen.
According to “Women designers is there a gender trap? “ The author state that:
“We argue that, for a woman with the requisite talents to attempt to become a successful designer today, there are three stages where barriers are likely to be perceived and imposed, barriers that a similarly talented man would not face. The first hurdle is getting onto a degree course and completing this; the second is attaining a job and the third appertains to success at work.”
Iris van herpen succeed by persevering in self and never stop pushing forward the international women fashion trend; And, the new inspiration on combining the traditional hand making methods and the high technologies together, to create brand-new clothes to produce to most female customers. Iris van herpen mentioned (“The other-worldly couture of Iris van Herpen” November 30, 2018) that: “Over the years beauty and femininity have become more important to me – much wider than mere seduction. The people who wear my clothes are very strong women.” Iris van herpen is a unique and unusual fashion designer that think of women’s feeling of fashion and the trend of women international fashion. Her ideology has reflected on her other numerous works, such as two scenes called crystallization and shift souls.
I understand that it is a great idea that using new materials and high technologies to make clothes. There were questioning and controversy on the ideas from Iris van herpen. Nevertheless, she persisted. However, I considered that is it possible that all women have a tailor-made dress? Will the new materials and the users of latest technologies play its due value? Will the trend of dressing styles be improving by using new materials and techniques in the future? Consequently, Iris van herpen is a great female designer that persevere in self and genuinely thinking about making women’s feeling better. She also influences the status of female designers in fashion design.
Reference
Image 1. Dress 2011, Iris Van Herpen, Amsterdam (fashion house), Iris van Herpen (designer), Photographed at National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)
NGV International, Level 3 Contemporary Art & Design, DESIGNING WOMEN ngv.vic.gov.au. accessed 27/03/2019https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/designing-women/
Vogue magazine, Fall 2011 Couture Iris van Herpen, accessed 28/03/2019https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2011-couture/iris-van-herpen
Vogue magazine, Spring 2011 Reday-To-Wear Iris van Herpen, accessed 30/03/2019https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2011-ready-to-wear/iris-van-herpen
IRIS VAN HERPEN studio, ESCAPISM, accessed 30/03/2019https://www.irisvanherpen.com/haute-couture/crystallization
Iris van Herpen makes a case for fashion as a fine art, accessed 02/04/2019https://hyperallergic.com/337448/iris-van-herpen-makes-a-case-for-fashion-as-a-fine-art/
ELUXE magazine, by women, for women: why female fashion designers rule, accessed 02/04/2019https://eluxemagazine.com/fashion/female-fashion-designers/
NGV, “Everybody could have their body scanned and order clothes that fit perfectly”, accessed 03/04/2019https://www.dezeen.com/2013/04/24/iris-van-herpen-interview/
The other-worldly couture of Iris van herpen, accessed 05/04/2019https://howtospendit.ft.com/womens-style/204883-the-other-worldly-couture-of-iris-van-herpen
Margaret Bruce & Jenny Lewis. April 1990. Women designers is there a gender trap?. p114-p116, p118
Design Research 
I think you choose a very interesting topic. I view her design works on her insgram account. Although most works look like design for a fashion show, but it really illustrate a feeling of new material and technology. i agree with your point that the fashion industry is a bit of conservative now. In comparison to the application of material in architecture design， there is not too much breakthrough fashion industry.
And her design work inspire me the thought of genders in traditional fashion industry, soft or lace fabric are often related with female. But in Iris’s work, she uses totally new technique: 3d print, the construction of cloth is also different with traditional type. Iris insist her works are only design for woman, it’s interesting to study how she illustrate the feeling that it is a female cloth.
It’s great you provide your critical thinking that relate this work to the social problems nowadays. This also explore my view of what is the significance of avant-design or concept design. Although these design may not be very functional in daily life, but we always need someone to look forward on future, to consider what can be changed.
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It was very useful to help me get to know Iris Van Herpen. You clearly explained her design concept of combining ancient traditional sewing methods with modern industrial technology (3D) and expressed her use of modern technic to mimic nature reality. This is similar to the front design studio, my research team. They both like innovation and breakthrough. In addition, the clothes she uses for 3D printing for women will be a unique one, because the size it scans will only match the individual, which is what I like very much.
And I saw that you compared Iris Van Herpen to Le Corbusier’s design, and I think it would be useful if you could show the image of The Villa Savoye in Poissy.
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After reading your blog, I had a great understanding of the design of Iris Van Herpen, and the design concept impressed me a lot. As a student studying industrial design, I often use technologies like 3D printing and laser cut in my daily assessments, as you introduced Iris Van Herpen who is very good at combining 3D printing and other new technologies with clothing. And she was one of the first designers to use 3D printing as a clothing construction technology. I was inspired a lot. I think nowadays, with the rapid development of science and technology, there will be a trend which combines more and more artworks and try to integrate with new technology and become a new art form.
the concept of using 3D printing as a part of the design and willing to combine new technology in their works, which reminds me another designer Neri Oxman, she has a similar idea with Iris Van Herpen. This link is a ted-talk of Neri Oxman. You probably enjoy it.
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