Fabrication process inside Philip Beesley’s studio
AERIFORM
Haute Couture collection created by Iris van Herpen in collaboration with Philip Beesley Architects Inc. Presented at Paris Couture Week (2017)
AERIFORM has been an incredible project that provided me with a unique opportunity to blend my skills in pattern-making, procedural workflows, digital fabrication, and haute couture fashion design. I am grateful for the chance to have contributed to this collection while I was working as a Design and Research intern at Philip Beesley Architect Inc., Toronto.
The focus of my work has been creating intricate patterns for the metallic dresses of this collection. Additionally, the rigorous testing and experimentation involved in perfecting this masterpiece have enriched my experience in fabrication.
Find out more about the project at:
Image courtesy of Philip Beesley and Iris van Herpen
“‘Aeriform’ examines the nature and anatomy of air and the idea of airborne materiality and lightness, creating negative and positive space with shadow and light.”
Miley Cyrus wearing the Aeriform dress. Image courtesy of Iris van Herpen
“Their liquid voices and the subsonic darkness from Between Music overwhelmed me. It motivated me to dive into the contrasts between water and air, between inside and outside, between darkness and lightness.”
Fabrication
The production of the collection's standout piece, a "feathery-light metal lace" wrapped around the body, involved trial and error using 3D printing, laser cutting, and thermal-forming techniques.
Our dedication to meticulous craftsmanship led to a final design that was shaped by the outcomes of our fabrication tests, fostering a lively interplay between digital and hands-on practices at Philip Beesley's studio. Such was the significance of the research for AERIFORM that an entire wall was exclusively devoted to it.
Image courtesy of Philip Beesley and Iris van Herpen