Bubbles, Algae, and Plastics Go Haute Couture in 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses'

"Van Herpen is known for her elaborate dresses that incorporate high-tech processes and materials, such as laser-cutting and Plexiglas, while also embracing the rhythms and patterns of biological and celestial realms. At this year's Met Gala, for example, Olympic skier Eileen Gu arrived in a dress titled " Airu," which was not only coated in plastic bubbles but also emitted real ones. In the "Living Algae" look from her 2025 Sympoeisis collection, van Herpen even incorporates real Pyrocystis lunula, a type of algae that forms a crescent shape and glows in the dark."

""Fascinated by the complexity of nature and the power of science, van Herpen transforms scientific concepts into visionary fashion," says a statement. "Drawing from wide-ranging fields spanning mathematics, neuroscience, marine biology, paleontology, mycology, mineralogy, astronomy, and more, her haute couture designs seamlessly merge art, science, and technology-evoking the often unseen structures of nature, from coral reefs and branching systems of fungi to the vast patterns of planetary motion.""

"Sculpting the Senses features more than 140 haute couture designs, plus the works of numerous artists like Kenny Nguyen, Wim Delvoye, Agostino Arrivabene, 目[Mé], Katsumata Chieko, Tara Donovan, and many others-several of whom have pieces in the Brooklyn Museum's own collection. The experience is also complemented by a multi-sensory soundscape created by Du"

Brooklyn Museum is preparing to open Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses, a new edition building on prior focus on fashion meeting art. The exhibition includes recent collections such as Sympoeisis and presents one-of-a-kind sustainable sculptural couture. Van Herpen’s work features elaborate dresses made with high-tech processes and materials like laser-cutting and Plexiglas, while drawing on biological and celestial patterns. Designs translate scientific ideas into wearable forms, including a Met Gala dress that emitted real bubbles and a Living Algae look that incorporates real Pyrocystis lunula algae that glows in the dark. The show presents more than 140 haute couture designs alongside works by multiple artists and includes a multi-sensory soundscape.

Read at Colossal