MUMMIFICATION – Van Herpen became captivated with the macabre beauty of ancient Egyptian mummification and the intense devotion that surrounds the process. With techniques to swaddle, wrap and cover the body along with the typical geometric and graphic patterns of Egyptian mummies, she elaborates on the practice of the ancient Egyptians to create a new reality for their dead. She considers the 'reality' that they created for their dead as the reality, while they considered daily life an illusion. ][She understood this as follows: take everything that seems obvious at face value, but create your own reality. Iris realized this chain of thoughts by combining their ancient techniques with modern materials and thus creating her own new reality. The wrapping and binding of the body and the emphasize of certain parts of the body such as the Egyptians did (as the head) are central in the collection. The collection is handmade from (ECCO) leather, which has been treated with different techniques and lace, tens of thousands of eyelets, ball chain, motorcycle chain and thousands of metal balls.