Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses

Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses celebrates one of the most forward-thinking fashion designers of her generation.

A pioneer in the use of new technologies, Van Herpen transcends conventional clothing norms while embracing both traditional couture artisanship and innovative techniques. Ranging from the micro to the macro, the exhibition explores the body’s place in space, its relationship to clothing and its environment, and its future in a rapidly changing world.

More than 140 extraordinary haute couture creations are shown alongside contemporary artworks and designs—by artists including Philip Beesley, Rogan Brown, Casey Curran, Kim Keever, and Nick Knight—as well as scientific artifacts and natural history specimens such as coral, fossils, and skeletons. These accompanying pieces not only are placed in dialogue with Van Herpen’s designs, but also deeply inform and shape her creative process. Rare archival materials and a soundscape by composer Salvador Breed add to this interdisciplinary, multisensory experience.

In this way, the exhibition reveals the experimental spirit that has reshaped 21st-century fashion. Worn by luminaries including Beyoncé, Björk, Cate Blanchett, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and Ariana Grande, Van Herpen’s designs draw on biomimicry, fractal geometry, and neuroscience, transforming cutting-edge discoveries into sculptural gowns and ethereal fabrics.

Sculpting the Senses takes you on a journey from the ocean’s depths to the universe’s outer reaches. Step inside to explore the fluidity of water, the physics of motion, the perception of sound and light, and nature’s profound interconnectedness.

The Brooklyn Museum stop is the North American debut of this global presentation. Building on our legacy of defining fashion exhibitions, as well as our roots as an institute of both arts and sciences, it marks the first major New York presentation of Van Herpen’s work.

Artists, architects, and designers featured in the exhibition are Philip Beesley, Lanny Bergner, Rogan Brown, Katsumata Chieko, the Collectif Mé, Casey Curran, Wim Delvoye, Tara Donovan, Harold Edgerton, Senju Hiroshi, Kim Keever, Nick Knight, Ferruccio Laviani, Tomáš Libertíny, Ren Ri, Jacques Rougerie, Fujikasa Satoko, David Spriggs, Tim Walker, and Rob Wynne.