Video summary
Iris van Herpen describes her creative journey as an evolving process where her own creations serve as teachers, guiding her personal growth more than any external mentor could. Rooted in her childhood in the small Dutch village of Wamel, nestled between two rivers, she found deep inspiration in nature and classical ballet, a passion nurtured by her mother who was a dance teacher. For van Herpen, time spent in nature allows her to feel whole and connected to all living beings, believing that every consciousness carries knowledge within it. This profound connection with the natural world becomes the wellspring of her creativity, filling her with inspiration that she later translates into tangible works within her atelier.
Her approach to design is deeply hands-on and intuitive, particularly through the draping process, which allows her to visualize her inner worlds and explore the invisible layers surrounding her. Van Herpen emphasizes that her work is intensely personal, aiming to merge the craftsmanship of traditional couture with cutting-edge new technologies. This fusion creates a unique dialogue between the past and the future, bridging different worlds through her artistry. She views the act of making as the most precious aspect of her practice, intending to create a time capsule that preserves the essence of her creative process from start to finish.
The upcoming exhibition in New York represents a significant milestone for van Herpen, as she is eager to share this immersive experience with a diverse audience from various backgrounds. She clarifies that her show is not merely a fashion exhibition but rather a comprehensive exploration that connects fashion with art, science, and innovation. By inviting visitors to feel the entire creative journey, the exhibition aims to demonstrate how these distinct fields intersect and influence one another. Ultimately, van Herpen hopes that this gathering will highlight the universal themes of connection and discovery, proving that her work resonates beyond the realm of clothing to touch on broader human experiences.
Read the full video transcript
I'm just evolving as a person through
the creations that I'm making. So, in a
way they teach me more
than anyone else could do.
>> [music]
>> I grew up in Wamel. It's a small village
in the Netherlands. It's in between two
rivers.
And as [music] a kid, I was always
outside.
Just discovering nature
and also dancing. I was dancing a lot
classical ballet.
And my mom is a dance teacher.
So, I definitely think I got inspired by
her as well.
>> [music]
>> When I'm in nature, I feel myself. Like
I feel being whole and I feel the
relation or the connections that I have
with all the other living beings, like
different kinds of consciousness.
They all carry knowledge within them.
And I also feel [music] that's where my
creativity comes from.
It's like filling up inspiration
which is translated later on when I'm in
my atelier.
>> [music]
>> I have a hands-on [music] way of
working.
I really like the draping process
because again it's so intuitive.
Ultimately, the work is really, really
personal and it's my big focus [music]
to
visualize my inner worlds, like my
perspective of all the invisible layers
around me.
>> [music]
>> There is this craftsmanship that is in
there
that [music] carries knowledge from the
traditional couture and it's merged with
these new technologies that we're
discovering today. So, [music] it really
brings together these different worlds
from the past and the future.
>> [music]
>> I wanted to create like a time capsule
and the most [music] precious part of
everything that I'm doing is the making.
>> [music]
>> When you are experiencing the
exhibition, you really get to [music]
feel the whole creative process from
beginning till end.
>> [music]
>> I'm really excited for the exhibition
being in New York because there are such
a variety of people with different
[music]
backgrounds and that's exactly what this
exhibition is about.
It's not a fashion exhibition.
It's really an exhibition that connects
fashion to art, to science, to
innovation.