3D-Printed Fashion Stuns North America: Iris van Herpen Exhibition Lands in New York This Spring
From May 16 to December 6, 2026, the North American debut of the dedicated exhibition "Sculpting the Senses" by pioneering Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen will take place at the Brooklyn Museum in New York. The exhibition will showcase over 140 of her haute couture pieces that integrate cutting-edge technology, exploring the future relationship between the body, clothing, and technology.
Van Herpen is renowned for transforming technology into art. She utilizes unconventional materials and techniques such as laser cutting, 3D printing, and even high-voltage generators to create avant-garde fashion that颠覆s tradition. Her clients include superstars like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, and her work is regarded as a bellwether leading the future of haute couture.
This exhibition will not only display her fashion pieces but also juxtapose them with contemporary artworks, scientific artifacts, and organic materials that have inspired her creations. It reveals the profound scientific inspirations behind her designs, such as biomimicry and fractal geometry.
3D printing is one of van Herpen's core creative tools. She has long collaborated with leading 3D printing company Materialise, using technologies like Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) to transform complex digital designs into wearable nylon sculptures. As early as 2011, her work was acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, becoming the museum's first 3D-printed garment and sparking deep discussion on how to preserve "non-fabric" fashion.
From the 2010 "Crystallization Collection" to the custom 3D-printed face jewelry for the 2019 "Shift Souls" collection, van Herpen continues to expand the possibilities of 3D printing in fashion. This exhibition presents a rare opportunity to personally experience how technology is reshaping the aesthetics and sensory experiences of the 21st century.
Previously, the exhibition has been successfully held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Kunsthal Museum in Rotterdam. The New York stop will immerse North American audiences in this sensory feast that merges fashion, art, and technology.
