Iris van Herpen ~ Sensory Seas

On January 20th, 2020, Iris van Herpen presented her latest Couture collection, titled ’Sensory Seas’, at Cirque d’hiver Bouglione in Paris. ~ For this collection, Iris van Herpen draws inspiration from the sensory processes that occur between the intricate composition of the human body, mirrored with the fibrous marine ecology of our oceans. The first threads of inspiration came from the Spanish neuroanatomist Ramón y Cajal. He wanted to uncover something that no one had yet understood. He questioned; how does the brain engage in conversation with its counterparts? Exploring our central nervous system in microscopic detailing, Cajal documented his revolutionary findings through anatomical drawings that are considered amongst the world’s greatest scientific illustrations. Hunched over his microscope, he merged science with art and brought to life the threads of our enchanted biology to the human eye. Other inspiration stemmed from diving into the deep depths of the Hydrozoa, a class of delicately branched sea-life organisms. Shifting between a polypoid stage and a medusa stage, the Hydrozoa embroider the oceans like aqueous fabrics, forming layers of living lace. ‘Sensory seas’ holds a microscope over the indelible nuances between the anthropology of a marine organism, to the role of dendrites and synapses delivering infinite signals throughout our bodies. It enchants the attention of how two processes of torrential messaging exist in an uninterrupted state of flux. The collection consists 21 silhouettes that illustrate a portrait of liquid labyrinths, where dresses spill onto the floor in elegant train and pigments gather in cloudedpools of blues and lilac, leaking into one another like marble. Runway video by Blitzkickers CREDITS Press: Alexandre Malgouyres | KCD Paris Styling: Patti Wilson Special thanks to collaborating Artist: Paul Friedlander Collaborating Artists: Philip Beesley, Shelee Carruthers, Duke Morse, Perry Hall Show Production: SixUp Paris | N6 Casting: Maida Gregori Boina | Maxime Valentini | Caroline Mauger Footwear Collaboration: Trippen Light Design: Stefan Prokop Make-up: Chiao Li Hsu & the MAC PRO Team Hair: Martin Cullen & Björn Axén | The Wall Group Choreography: Diek Pothoven Music Direction: Salvador Breed Including tracks: Joep Beving & Maarten Vos - Apophis (Henosis - Deutsche Grammophon) Kuedo - Bend Moon (Slow Knife - Planet mu Records) Videography: Blitzkickers Process Video: Jip Mus First Look Videography: Matthew Sperzel Frontstage Photography: Gio Staiano Backstage Photography: Molly SJ Lowe, Schohaja Press Release: Scarlett Baker Illustrations Artwork: Nastya Kuzmina Invitation Artwork: Takahiro Kurashima and Yanis Georges SPECIAL THANKS TO Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode Atelier Néerlandais Davy Hezemans & Joanna van der Werf | Spice PR L’Arc Paris Absolut Elyx, Perrier-Jouet and Vype