Initial reaction: 

“Hacking Infinity” was what Iris van Herpen called her show, as the Dutch conceptual designer once again bridged her extreme haute couture with ready to wear to find a happy medium. Her thoughts ran deep to imagine the biosphere of another planet, where there are new terrains explored through texture and fabrications. Van Herpen was fixated on the spherical shapes of planets as well as expressing a “hackable” infinitive space through alien life form fabrics.

Other Planetary Textures:

“When I think of the clothes, I’ve already imagined the textures and what they will look like,” said van Herpen after the show. What she imagines, she tries to make happen, as she once again pushes her fabrics to the outer brink of possibilities. The designer wove fabric out of a stainless steel thread and hand burnt them to create iridescent colours that shimmered like dulled rainbows. Van Herpen also worked with designer Aleksandra Gaca to create a grid-like 3D hand woven textile as well as a bubbled up puckered fabric that were like the craggy surface of this imaginary planet. Swarovski crystals added an ethereal sparkle, while hand plisse pleats mirrored otherworldly desert terrain. In another collaborative effort, van Herpen enlisted the help of architect Philip Beesley to create digitally fabricated dresses made out black fractal geometric fretwork.

Crystal Feet:

Van Herpen worked with surreal Japanese shoe designer Noritaka Tatehana have 3D printed crystals sprouting from the soles of his signature heelless platform shoes. They gave the models a levity, as if they were walking on air and meant we could appreciate van Herpen’s textures all the more.

Liked this? Head here to check out all the Swarovski Collective designers’ AW15 show reports