Magnetic Motion

By thoroughly examining the representation of dynamic forces of attraction and repulsion, Iris van Herpen fuses nature and technology in her SS 15 ready-to-wear collection.

For her SS 15 ready-to-wear collection, presented in Paris on Sep 30th, 2014, Iris van Herpen visited CERN the Large Hadron Collider, whose magnetic field exceeding that of earth’s by 20,000 times, provided inspiration for Magnetic Motion.

“I find beauty in the continual shaping of chaos which clearly embodies the primordial power of nature’s performance,” says Van Herpen describing the essence of the collection.

Van Herpen stayed true to her spirit of bridging fashion and other disciplines by collaborating with the Canadian architect Philip Beesley, and the Dutch artist Jolan van der Wiel.

Beesley is a pioneer in responsive ‘living’ sculpture whose poetic works combine advanced computation, synthetic biology, and mechatronics engineering.

Van der Wiel is an artist and craftsman whose work with magnetic tension has resulted in dynamic sculptures and installations that bring to mind the power of volcanic eruptions. Both artists strive to erase the boundaries between nature and technology in their work, which coincides with the direction of van Herpen’s creative aim.

The designer worked with techniques like injection moulding and laser cutting on maze like structures and intricate architectural handwork on dresses, jackets, trousers, skirts and blouses giving them dynamic shapes and surfaces that echo the body’s movement. The three dimensional nature and the layering of the garments give them volume.

Emphasising light and shadow play, the minimalist color palette of black, white, midnight blue, and nude allows the designer to concentrate on the garments’ structure. Micro webs of lace veil and reveal the luminescent glow of crystal forms, while triacetate feathers punctuate the soft drapes and volumes.

A 3D printed transparent, crystal dress was created in collaboration with Niccolo Casas. The controlled structure of the clothes is offset by the chaotic structure of the accessories, shoes, belts, necklaces and clutches, which are ‘grown’ using magnetic fields to create a range where no two items are alike.