Biomimicry – Iris van Herpen’s ‘Art of Couture’ with the Dutch National Ballet
Iris van Herpen is a fashion designer know for fusing technology and pushing the boundaries of art and fashion. In this film, her extraordinary work is evident in a collaboration with the Dutch National Ballet – entitled “Biomimicry.” It is an exploration of the symbiotic relationship between the metamorphic force in which fashion and dance interlace. The film, directed by Ryan McDaniels, sees the dancer JingJing Mao undulating into liquescent shapes and transcending into graceful figures that reflect her myriad of movements. With her warm shades of technicoloured organza, it appears that Mao defies gravity while gracefully floating through the air. Other times, the dancer sets translucent 3D hand-casted PU into motion, creating new patterns that play with the viewer’s perspective. Fashion and dance therefore become a catalyst for transformation. Iris Van Herpen has proved that she is certainly one of the most talented and forward-thinking designers of the 21st century.
