Free Designer Pattern: Iris van Herpen Dress

Hacking Infity - Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW. Photo: Frederik Heyman
Hacking Infinity – Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW. Model: Iekeliene Stange. Photo: Frederik Heyman. Image: Iris van Herpen.

SHOWstudio’s latest Design Download is a dress by Dutch wunderkind Iris van Herpen.

Iris van Herpen dress photographed by Thomas Alexander for SHOWstudio, 2018
Iris van Herpen’s Hacking Infinity dress. Model: Bethany Sophara Robbins. Photo: Thomas Alexander. Image: SHOWstudio.
Iris van Herpen dress photographed by Thomas Alexander for SHOWstudio, 2018
Iris van Herpen dress, FW15 rtw. Model: Bethany Sophara Robbins. Photo: Thomas Alexander. Image: SHOWstudio.

The sheath dress is from Hacking Infinity, Iris van Herpen’s Fall 2015 ready-to-wear collection, which explored the idea of terraforming. (Read more at the designer’s site, or see Suzy Menkes on her 2015 studio visit.) The collection’s leather and 3D-printed shoes are by Noritaka Tatehana.

Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 rtw look 12 - SHOWstudio design download
Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW. Photo: Kim Weston Arnold. Image: Vogue Runway.
Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 ready-to-wear. Image: firstVIEW.

Science, technology, and science fiction are strong influences for Van Herpen, and Vogue’s reviewer cited Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall as an intro to the terraforming concept. Several looks referenced the stillsuits from David Lynch’s Dune.

Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW
Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW. Photos: Team Peter Stigter. Images: Iris van Herpen.
Hacking Infity - Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW. Photo: Frederik Heyman
Hacking Infinity – Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW. Model: Iekeliene Stange. Photo: Frederik Heyman. Image: Iris van Herpen.
Chani (Sean Young) in David Lynch’s Dune (1984) Costume design: Bob Ringwood. Image: Pinterest.

The plissé material, seen in the SHOWstudio piece, appeared both as one element in a mix, and for entire garments in black and bronze.

Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW. Images: firstVIEW.

For Fall 2015, Van Herpen developed a fine, metallic fabric woven from silk and stainless steel. The translucent silver material was coaxed into “a sheen of nebula-like colors” with heat and hand-burnishing. Plisséed and pleated into circular forms, it evoked planetary bodies and infinity.

Detail backstage at Iris van Herpen's Fall 2015 show
Detail backstage at Iris van Herpen’s Fall 2015 show. Photo: Morgan O’Donovan. Image: Facebook.
Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW
Iris van Herpen Fall 2015 RTW. Photos: Team Peter Stigter. Images: Iris van Herpen.
Hacking Infinity FW15 Iris van Herpen dress photographed by Juergen Teller
Iris van Herpen dress in T Magazine, April 2015. Photo: Juergen Teller. Image: Iris van Herpen.

The pattern download comes in A4 sheets, with a test line to check the scale.

Iris van Herpen SHOWstudio dress pattern diagram
Iris van Herpen dress pattern diagram. Image: SHOWstudio.

Download the dress pattern (34 pieces)

Size: 38

Notes: Prints on 100 A4 sheets. Plissé panels are hand-sewn to base dress.

Fabric recommendations: Plissé panels: plissé or printed fabric on a cotton base fabric. Stretch fabric is recommended for the skirt. Straps & facings: silk, non-stretch fusible interfacing. Lining: silk or cupro.

Notions: Back zipper.

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