CINCINNATI—Contemporary Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen has won international acclaim as one of the most visionary designers of the twenty-first century. Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion at the Cincinnati Art Museum will showcase the artist’s avant-garde garments that combine art, engineering, architecture and science, October 13, 2017–January 7, 2018.
Van Herpen takes fashion into the future. Credited with introducing 3-D printing to fashion, the designer seamlessly blends high-tech processes with traditional handwork, creating imaginative sculptural garments from materials as diverse as metal umbrella ribs, industrial yarns, woven metal, leather strips and transparent acrylic.
Her work has been worn by celebrities including Lady Gaga, Tilda Swinton, Beyoncé, and Bjork and has graced the runways of Amsterdam, London and Paris. During a runway show in 2015, she used robots to print a dress over Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie.
Transforming Fashion showcases 45 exquisite outfits from 15 collections and nine pairs of shoes. The exhibition also includes examples of van Herpen’s innovative materials, with examples available for visitors to touch. Visitors will learn about her partnerships with architects, designers, scientists and 3-D printing companies. Videos featuring an interview with van Herpen and footage from her six most recent runway shows will be featured.
Each collection has its own tale to tell, often relating to van Herpen’s own free associations, futuristic fantasies or sensory perceptions. Guided by intuition in her creative process, she designs collections that are both wearable and sculptural.
Special exhibition tickets required for admission. All ticketed exhibitions are free for museum members. Tickets can be purchased at cincinnatiartmuseum.org or at the museum.
From October 2017 to March 2018, visitors to the museum’s Rosenthal Education Center can learn about Innovations in Art through fun and educational activities that highlight artwork from the museum’s permanent collection and Transforming Fashion. Visitors can explore a 10-foot-tall interactive video projection, create a Victorian-era animation, try out a camera obscura, see 3-D printing in action and learn about how portable paint inspired an artistic movement.
For more information, visit cincinnatiartmuseum.org/transformingfashion.