Dutch haute couture designer and ArtEZ alumna Iris van Herpen receives French distinction

Haute Couture designer Iris van Herpen, who graduated from ArtEZ University of the Arts, has been named ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ (French for ‘Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters’) in Paris.

The designer received the award during Paris Haute Couture Week, where she exhibited her fall/winter 2024 couture collection on Monday, WWD reported.

“I’m very honoured, it’s a very emotional moment,” she told the international B2B fashion platform after receiving the distinction.

The ‘Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters’ accolade is given to people who make significant contributions to art and literature in France and around the world.

Haute Couture: Iris Van Herpen named Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in France

Dutch designer Iris van Herpen started her own label in 2007 after graduating from ArtEZ’ fashion academy.

In 2010, she showed her first 3D-printed design at Amsterdam Fashion Week, a technique she would later become known for. Since then, she has shown her collections at Paris Haute Couture Week and has won a string of awards.

In November 2023, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris opened an exhibition about her work entitled “Iris Van Herpen. Sculpting the Senses”, which ran until April 2024.

Besides her cutting-edge techniques and multidisciplinary approach, a common thread of inspiration from nature and architecture can be observed in her work.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.NL. Translation and edit from Dutch into English by Veerle Versteeg.