In her latest haute couture collection, Sympoiesis, Iris van Herpen transcends the traditional boundaries of fashion, delivering a poetic meditation on the interconnectedness of all living things. Rooted in the Greek concept of “making together,” this collection sees couture not as an isolated art form but as a living ecosystem, one where designer, wearer, and nature coalesce in a symbiotic dance.
The show’s centerpiece was nothing short of revolutionary: a gown cultivated with 125 million bioluminescent algae, suspended in a seaweed-based gel. This ethereal creation seemed to glow from within, responding organically to the model’s movement. It was not merely worn it lived, asking for care, attention, and a shared rhythm between human and organism.
Van Herpen further explored the possibilities of future-facing materials with silhouettes shaped from lab-grown textiles. Minimalist bridal pieces and sculptural forms crafted from Brewed Protein™ hinted at a path where sustainability and luxury are not opposing forces but natural allies.
Every detail of Sympoiesis echoed the mysteries of ocean life: gowns resembling coral reefs, kinetic fabrics that breathed like gills, and sculptural footwear inspired by aquatic motion. Her signature fusion of 3D-printed structures with delicate handwork elevated the narrative into something both otherworldly and grounded in environmental urgency.
With Sympoiesis, Iris van Herpen redefines couture as a living manifesto—a vision of fashion that is sentient, sustainable, and deeply intertwined with the future of our planet.
