And yes, there it is! More than two years after the purchase, Máxima is finally wearing her second Iris van Herpen dress.
Tonight Queen Máxima opens the retrospective Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses together with Iris van Herpen. The Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the largest museum for decorative arts in Europe, has invited Van Herpen to exhibit in tribute to her progressive designs. Van Herpen combines traditional couture craftsmanship with the use of innovative techniques. This exhibition brings together the essence of Van Herpen’s work, which focuses on fashion, contemporary art, design and science. The exhibition is structured around nine themes such as ‘Water and Dreams’ and ‘Skeletal Embodiment’; characteristic elements in Van Herpen’s designs. Van Herpen’s studio has also been simulated and visitors can experience the design process of new pieces themselves.
After the opening, Queen Máxima will receive a tour where she will speak with curator Cloé Pitiot and co-curator Louise Curtis and the compilers of the nine themes. Queen Máxima will also discuss the creation of the exhibition with those involved in the museum and Van Herpen’s studio.
Brigitte Macron is also present:
Máxima’s dress is – how could it be otherwise – a design by Iris van Herpen. The interplay of lines around the neckline is created through embroidery, while the volume at the skirt part is created through pleated work.
The dress comes from ‘Roots of Rebirth’, a collection dedicated to underground fungi and roots, which form the basis of the world we live on. Iris van Herpen: “The interwoven organism has shaped our environment. Despite its often invisible efforts underground, it supports the Earth’s ecosystems. Through infinite interactions beyond our daily understanding, these networks embody undiscovered growth and intelligence. It is this ‘ecological connective tissue’ that strengthens the circle of life, and the constant exchange of information has many parallels with urban environments. The original appearance of mycelial threads (fungal thread, ed.), which constantly communicate with each other, are microcosmic of our functioning society, of
the blood circulation in us; branches of trees; rivers that tour landscapes; to the modern ingenuity of transportation or the digital web of the Internet.”
The dress consists of a skin-colored base and an overlay of skin-colored tulle (transparent), on which the lines are applied. This choice of fabric makes it look as if the lines have been applied to her skin.
Máxima’s dress comes from the bridal collection of Iris van Herpen.
The backside:
