Iris van Herpen's exhibition "Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses" opens at the Brooklyn Museum from May 16 to December 6, 2026, featuring over 140 haute couture creations alongside contemporary art, design objects, and natural history specimens. The show, previewed by designboom, is organized around natural themes from water to planetary scale, with the Dutch designer leading a walkthrough that emphasized her inspirations from micro and macro worlds and her process of turning material experiments into wearable sculptures.
The exhibition matters because it positions van Herpen's work at the intersection of fashion, science, and ecology, challenging traditional boundaries of couture by treating the body as part of a larger living system. By integrating handwork, digital tools, and natural systems, the show highlights how contemporary design can foster deeper connections with nature and expand the definition of wearable art, making it relevant to discussions on sustainability, material innovation, and the evolving role of craftsmanship.