Iris Van Imagination

Up until this point I have harped about physical creative spaces and the emotion and inspiration that they spur. Today I'm going to take a bit of a different approach to creative space in terms of visually inspiring and idea fueling imagery. I have dabbled in many art forms, be that writing, drawing or design. Fashion has for many years held a special place in my heart, being 14-years-old I had stepped into a world that was intriguing yet terrifying—the modeling industry. From the many young models I have had the pleasure to work with and befriend, I always seemed to steer conversation in a different direction than measurements and castings. I more often than not rather discuss the creative process that went into fashion shows and shoots because it piqued my interest as to how these designers, stylists, makeup artists, hair stylists and photographers came up with the concepts for their work that in the end always became a beautiful composition. That being said, over the years fashion has been an integral part of my life academically, creatively and personally. As most industries, fashion is in perpetual forward motion yet innovation usually only comes in the terms of design, but what if that could be taken one step further—technologically. 

Meet Iris Van Herpen, a Dutch designer at the forefront the digital fashion movement. I stumbled upon this brilliant mind around FW16 last Spring and I was floored. Van Herpen digitized design and 3D printed garments that are impossible to make my hand and by impossible I literally mean humanly impossible. This past week during Paris Couture Fashion Week Van Herpen debuted her 10 year anniversary collection and the result was absolutely breathtaking. 

The fluidity of her garments seems natural, yet the pieces are not sewn via human hand, but computer code. Digitally designed garments can then be turned into code and programmed into a 3D printed and voila, you have fashion of the information age. The way in which technology has allowed for artistic imagination to have no bounds is magnificent, now garments that were not possible to make by hand have the potential to be created by a machine. 

I urge you to take a look and attempt to wrap your mind around the sheer progressive potential of the garment industry in itself. We are the future and individuals that have the bravery to color outside the lines of society are what keep our creative and pragmatic world constantly and consistently moving forward.

P. S.