At the Brooklyn Museum, a new couture dress is taking shape not just from fabric, but from the voices of its audience.
As part of a live performance piece, visitors can watch the creation of a plissé gown in real-time. While the intricate handwork takes place, conversations between the audience and the creators are being recorded.
Once the gown is complete, snippets of these audio recordings will be selected and embroidered directly into the inside of the garment, transforming it into a time capsule of its own creation process.
The interactive performance is a focal point of Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses, an expansive 18,000-square-foot exhibition that features approximately 140 works by the visionary fashion designer. Alongside the collaborative project, the retrospective displays high-profile garments previously worn by pop culture figures, including custom designs created for Lady Gaga, Anne Hathaway, and Beyoncé.
Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion at the museum, notes that the designer draws heavy inspiration from the natural world, exploring its varied forms and translating them into wearable art. The resulting exhibition highlights a stark juxtaposition between traditional, detailed handwork and the cutting-edge technologies she integrates into her couture pieces.
The retrospective is currently open to the public at the museum’s 200 Eastern Parkway location, offering a comprehensive look at this unique approach to fashion design.