Iris van Herpen x Musée des Arts décoratifs

From November 29, 2023, to April 28, 2024, the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris will host the exhibition Iris van Herpen. Sculpting the Senses takes place. As a former intern at the Iris van Herpen label, I was also able to work on the exhibition and was responsible for organizing the meetings, creating the schedule, and adapting the mood boards.

I have already presented the history of the Dutch company in the article about my internship – click here to read all about my time in Amsterdam.

A selection of over 100 haute couture looks from all the collections is juxtaposed with contemporary works of art by artists such as Philip Beesley, the Collectif Mé, Wim Delvoye, Kate MccGwire, Damien Jalet, Kohei Nawa, Casey Curran, Rogan Brown, Jacques Rougerie, and also by Neri Oxman, Ren Ri, Ferruccio Laviani, and Tomáš Libertíny. In addition, objects from the natural sciences, such as skeletons or fossils, are exhibited in some rooms.

In the following gallery, you will find an overview of the top 10 catwalk looks by Iris van Herpen.

As a pioneer in the application of new technologies in her field, Iris van Herpen transcends conventional clothing norms and relies on both traditional couture know-how and innovative and unconventional techniques.

The exhibition is curated by Cloé Pitiot and deputy curator Louise Curtis. Studio Nathalie Crinière was commissioned with the scenography. The museum describes itself and its vision as follows:

“Les Arts Décoratifs is a state-approved not-for profit private organization founded in 1882, in the wake of the Universal Exhibitions, when a group of collectors banded together with the idea of promoting the applied arts and developing links between industry and culture, design, and production.”

https://madparis.fr/the-institution

The exhibition was divided into eleven themes, which are presented below. However, this is not intended to be exhaustive and only contains the highlights of each theme. The focus here is on Iris van Herpen’s fashion, but the complementary art was also often a highlight, and is therefore also part of the following highlights. The artist, the collection, and the corresponding year are mentioned below.

The exhibition begins with the theme of water in all its forms, before moving on to the human anatomy. In addition to bones, the nervous system, and blood vessels, inspiration from nature, and in particular fossils and the extensive underground network of fungi, is omnipresent. After rooms seven and eight, which focus on the work and processes in the studio, the exhibition takes an abstract turn. The theme of fear is dealt with in gloomy looks using, for example, snake motifs. The last two thematic blocks deal with the designer’s vision of the future of our world. There is talk of a “new” nature, which finally leads to the abstract theme of the cosmos. Contrasting floral silhouettes and colors are placed in this environment, presenting the designer’s futuristic way of thinking.

The following pictures will give you an overview. Of course, these pictures and my subjective descriptions cannot replace a visit to the museum.

WATER AND DREAMS

SENSORY SEA LIFE

FORCES BEHIND THE FORMS

SKELETAL EMBODIMENT

GROWTH SYSTEM

SYNAESTHESIA

ALCHEMIC ATELIER

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES

THE MYTHOLOGY OF FEAR

NEW NATURE

COSMIC BLOOM

I am very grateful to be part of this exhibition. I couldn’t have imagined a better way to experience the visit together with Margaux. We did the internship together in Amsterdam, and now we could see our work together.

I would also like to thank the Iris van Herpen team for this unique opportunity!