A ‘living dress’ infused with 125million bioluminescent algae floated the runway at Paris Couture week 2025. The glowing gown, a collaborative design by Iris van Herpen and biodesigner Chris Bellamy employed a bespoke material that is responsive to movement, light and touch. The result was a gown that shimmered with organic glow, breathing gently like a living organism on the runway.
This avantgarde piece was created using a custom-grown strain of algae that emits light through a natural chemical reaction. Crafted through a bespoke 35-step process at the University of Amsterdam’s Soft Matters group, the dress houses a custom-grown strain of bioluminescent micro algae embedded in nutrient-rich gel, within flexible microfluidic channels. The algae were encapsulated in seawater baths over several months, then sealed beneath a breathable protective membrane that nurtures them and allows light emission.
When worn on the runway, the model appeared to wear a living organism—glowing gently with ripples of electric blue-green light in response to movement or environmental stimuli. The garment, a fusion of couture, science and speculative futures encourages a dialogue about the symbiotic systems between humans and nature. In an industry often driven by spectacle, this gown offered something more profound: a vision of sustainability, sentience, and emotional connection through design and living organisms.
