Inside the Atelier ~ The Making of The ‘Airo’ Dress

The ‘Airo’ Dress emerged through 15 weeks of experimentation, couture craftsmanship, and engineering in collaboration with A.A.MURAKAMI.

15,000 hand-formed iridescent glass bubbles were individually bonded into place with UV light, while hidden microprocessors and pneumatic systems choreograph the release of floating bubbles with helium inside into the air. Reflecting the atomic anatomy of the human body - composed of 99.9% empty space - the dress dissolves and reforms with every movement, blurring the boundaries between body, material, and atmosphere.

Brought to life over 2,550 hours inside the Iris van Herpen atelier, it was created for Eileen Gu for the 2026 Met Gala.