When Iris van Herpen started making her SS11 collection called Crystallization, she wanted to catch the feeling of water dropping off a body getting out of a bathtub. Her fascination for the mystery of water, in particular as an antithesis of structure and chaos, manifested itself in the shape of a transparent dress, sculptured in glass and plastic to fall around the model’s shoulders down to her hips, like splashing water. To make this armour dress happen, Iris collaborated with the Architectual Centre of Amsterdam and to further pronounce the slippery atmosphere it was shown together with 9 other pieces to the soundtrack of drops exploding when hitting the ground at the Amsterdam Fashion Week on July 14. This was a preview of the SS11 collection that will be followed by a show of the entire collection at London Fashion Week. The 26-year-old Dutch designer will then further explore the transformation of water into crystal. Iris says that she is “fascinated by the fact that there are secret lines hidden in totally transparent and liquid material. Life appears at the moment of freezing, when crystals form. Only then becomes the underlying symmetry and structure visible.” Iris is one of the most interesting names showing in Amsterdam and her handcrafted pieces are combined with techniques and materials like 3D printing, Ecco Leather and shoes by Rem D. Koolhaas.
For more on Iris, click here. Photography by Magnus Magnusson.