The ‘Mummification’ couture of Iris vavn Herpen has little in common with the taut but hardly elegant mummies. Van Herpen made 10 pieces for this entirely leather couture collection, each of which was made by hand and is extremely labour intensive. The silhouette of the collection is also striking. Corsets consist of countless leather strips strung together, high-necked sleeveless dresses fall in clever pleats around the lower part of the body.

Iris van Herpen was inspired by mummification, but the design of her couture has little in common with the tight but not quite elegant look of mummies. Developing the couture collection purely in leather was particularly labour-intensive. The collection in primarily golden bronze, black, and skin colour is extraordinary because of the unusual materials and beautiful lineation.