Iris van Herpen, Sculpting the Senses

Widely heralded as one of fashion's most forward-thinking designers, Iris van Herpen seamlessly bridges the realms of fashion, nature, art, science and architecture. Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses presents an overview of her work during the last sixteen years. It chronicles not only her most iconic designs, but also explores her vision on shaping fashion more intelligently, including future-facing technology and craftsmanship that often blur the boundaries between the organic and the artificial.

Since its establishment in 2007, and its prestigious membership in the Fédération de la Haute Couture, Maison Iris van Herpen has consistently combined innovative techniques with traditional couture craftsmanship, resulting in sensorial designs that beautifully capture the intricacy and diversity of the natural world. Published to coincide with the retrospective exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs of the same name, this book brings together over one hundred striking haute couture designs by Iris van Herpen that transform the body into a multi-sensory being.

Sculpting the Senses was written by curators Cloé Pitiot and Louise Curtis, with a preface by actress Tilda Swinton. Ariane Koek, founder of Arts at CERN, has contributed an article linking Iris van Herpen's work with the world of science and an interview by art critic Hans Ulrich Obrist reveals the most poignant moments of the past sixteen years of her work.