"To me beauty is very much in between disciplines."

In between movement, dance, silhouette, fashion, art, science, light and opera lies this extraordinary designer.

Celebrated as one of the most avant-garde and technologically innovative fashion designers of our time, Iris van Herpen's pioneering vision pushes the boundaries of traditional garment design and construction.

Finding ways to distort and modify the contours of our bodies, using laser-cut camouflage tehniques, light, new materials and nature is done in a way that draws from the essence of objects and animals, to teach us not just more about materials and the world around us, but also of ourselves.

This is because the designs and techniques are so meticulously researched - there's a depth that you don't find in many other places.

Much as Alexander McQueen did in his shows (for whom she interned before setting up her own practice in 2007), her shows create worlds around the garments, collections are projected on indoor clouds, water is frozen in time, garments are designed around the vortices created by the act of flying, musicians play submerged in tanks of water. lines of light appear at ffoot level.

From her website:

"Because of van Herpen’s interest in multidisciplinary approach to creation that goes beyond fashion, she has often collaborated with various artists such as Jolan van der Wiel and Neri Oxman and architects such as Philip Beesley and Benthem and Crouwel Architects. The designer’s interest in science and technology has led to ongoing conversations with CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research) and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)."

Iris van Herpen is based in Amsterdam. Her distinct aesthetic viewpoint has seen her dress many progressive musicians and actresses such as Björk, for whose video's and tours van Herpen has created several dresses,

Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Cara Delvingne, Daphne Guinness, Miley Cyrus, Gwendoline Christie, Fan Bing Bing, Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell, Solange Knowles, Natalia Vodianova and Grimes.

Her special projects included dressing the actress Scarlett Johannson in the film “Lucy” and dressing Beyoncé for her “Mine” video. As a former ballet practicer herself, van Herpen also created costumes for the Paris Opera and the New York City Ballet, collaborating with the choreographer Benjamin Millepied and the Sasha Waltz dance company in Berlin.

More info here.