It’s a fact there are many Dutch fashion designers scattered around the industry who are doing quite some fantastic jobs within the renowned fashion houses (i.e. Lukas Ossendrijver for Lanvin) as much as there are some really interesting young Dutch fashion designers getting serious acclaim Internationally (i.e. Maarten Van Der Horst). The Netherlands is simply known for delivering fashion designers with a unique perspective on the language of fashion, thanks to academies like ArtEZ, Gerrit Rietveld Academy and the Royal Academy Of Art The Hague, to name a few. The Dutch also like to complain though and within the borders of this little country everybody has been lamenting for that moment a Dutch fashion designer would take stage with an equal International grandeur Viktor & Rolf did back in the late nineties. Is there life after Viktor & Rolf? Well, it seems the tides are changing after Iris Van Herpen last week presented her electrifying collection ‘Voltage’ during the Couture schedule. Iris has been the ones to watch in the last couple of years, but with this last show she definitely marked her territory firmly. The show opened with a live performer choreographing electricity through her body (much like one of those Crystal Balls you could get as a kid). Luckily this was just a mere introduction of something better to come as Iris Van Herpen presented her innovative 3-D techniques in armored dresses that seemed to move independently from the model. Call it trompe l’oeil, call it a mindfuck the Netherlands can stop complaining. In a few weeks Iris Van Herpen will present her first prêt-a-porter collection incorporating her electrifying designs in a wearable manner. Hate to say it but I’m feeling patriotic.