For Iris van Herpen, who grew up without a television, pop culture references resonate not at all; her imagination is fueled instead by art, nature, and science—as well as by her many collaborators. The starting point for her Micro collection was the photography of Steve Gschmeissner, who uses SEM (scanning electron microscope) technology to expose the invisible world of tiny specimens. “I wanted to show the beauty of them,” Van Herpen told Vice, “because in my eyes they are the most bizarre, unbelievable, and most imaginative creatures imaginable.”
With “tentacles” slithering down and across shoulders, a transparent (chemically made) snakeskin designed by artist Bart Hess, and incredible multi-heel fang shoes created with United Nude, the creature aspect of Micro was somewhat menacing. Other looks were more abstract, featuring geometric shapes and space age–y metallics. Standing apart was the showpiece, Van Herpen’s Cathedral dress, which seemed to reference both the Gothic cathedrals of Northern Europe and the Baroque aspects of Kris Kuksi’s sculptures. Made in collaboration with Isaïe Bloch and Materialise and designed to resemble wood, the dress was printed in polyamide and given a “copper electroplating bath,” creating a burnished glow.
