Iris van Herpen's 'Transforming Fashion' at Phoenix Art Museum

The Phoenix Art Museum is hosting 'Transforming Fashion,' a major exhibition dedicated to Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen (born 1984 in Wamel). The show, organized by the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands, features over 40 garments created between 2008 and 2015, along with shoes and accessories from Paris fashion shows. A highlight is a dress from the 2014 Biopiracy collection, acquired by the Arizona Costume Institute. Van Herpen's work blends traditional tailoring with cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing, resulting in pieces often described as 'wearable sculptures.' The designer cites classical dance as a major influence, stating that 'movement' is the key word for her practice. The exhibition runs until May 13, 2018, and is the final U.S. stop before moving to Toronto, Canada. Van Herpen studied at ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in the Netherlands and worked with Alexander McQueen in London before founding her own brand in 2007 with support from the Swarovski Collective. Her Escapsim dress was named one of Time's '50 Best Inventions' in 2011. Her works have also been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Cooper Hewitt Museum, and the Palais de Tokyo.