Van Herpen

- Tribute to the most important fashion designer from the Netherlands

- The book accompanies Iris van Herpen’s grand retrospective at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris

- Unique retrospective with more than 100 dresses and designs

- With a foreword by actress Tilda Swinton

＂Fashion is an instrument for change, to shift us emotionally. Through biomimicry I look at the forces behind the forms in nature, these patterns and natural cycles are my guide to explore new forms of femininity for a more conscious and sustainable fashion for the future.＂ - Iris van Herpen Sculpting the Senses offers an overview of Iris van Herpen’s work over the past 16 years. It not only shows the most iconic designs, but also explores her forward-looking vision of fashion on a deeper level. On the basis of 100 dresses, it becomes clear how much the designer challenges our vision of ＂Haute Couture＂. Sculpting the Senses immerses you in Van Herpen’s sensory universe and unites fashion, contemporary art, design and science on the basis of nine themes that together form the essence of Van Herpen’s work.

Iris van Herpen founded her fashion house in 2007. Known for her blend of technology and traditional craftsmanship and for her vision of fashion as an interdisciplinary language and dynamic entity, she now belongs to the Fédération de la Haute Couture. Her collaborations are also distinctive, including with sculptor Anthony Howe, architect Philip Beesley and artist Casey Curran. Cloé Pitiot is curator of the exhibition Sculpting the Senses at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, to which she is affiliated, and Louise Kurtis is assistant curator of the same expo. Ariane Koek founded the first ＂arts＂ program within CERN and is an independent producer, writer, speaker, curator known for her multi-disciplinary approach.