TECH & FASHION @IRISVANHERPEN ANAMORPHISM 'SHIFT SOULS' MASK, PHOTO BY @GIOSTAIANO
CHANEL FITTING PICTURE BY BENOIT PEVERELLI
Today, the future of fashion is 3D
A major leap forward in fashion has come from the 3D printer. Today, for relatively little cost, a designer can set up a 3D printer in their workshop and literally print jewellery and accessories. Any form they can envision from deep inside their wildest imagination can now be printed out layer by layer.
How Technology is Shaping
WOMEN'S FASHION
Since we started wearing clothes, hundreds of thousands of years ago, technology has always been a major driving force behind how fashion evolves. Scientists estimated that the needle and thread was invented 61,000 years ago. By Aaron J. Cunningham Think of how profound of an influence that must have had on the various ways that people could shape and design their clothes, even if those clothes were comprised of only a few animal pelts. Fast forward several thousands of years to the Neolithic Era, and we have the invention of natural dyes. Talk about a major leap forward in fashion: no more wearing drab browns. Now, our ancestors could wear reds, oranges, yellow, greens, and, eventually, even blues and purples. Fast forwarding through our past, one can see the direct link to how other technological advancements changed fashion forever. Weaving looms, synthetic dyes, and sewing machines all had significant impacts on women’s fashion. And where would we be without nylon, spandex, rayon, and polyester?
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The technology can also be applied to materials. Several 3D material printing start-ups have popped up which are completely revolutionizing the way we create our clothes. One huge leap forward is that 3D printed clothes are seamless: the entire garment can be printed as if it were somehow molded from one piece of magical material. The material can also be easily modified to have more flexibility or breathability in certain areas, like elbows and under arms. The creative director behind Chanel, world-renowned fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, had been experimenting with 3D printed materials. With the new technology, he was able to create garments which are both familiar and alien. Chanel will continue their 3D innovation with the Mademoiselle Privé exhibition in Shanghai, taking place this April 2019. When it comes to mixing fashion and 3D printing, one of the most influential designers is Iris van Herpen. During a recent show at Musée des Beaux-Arts in Paris, she unveiled 3D printed face jewellery and heels in her latest collection, Shift Souls. Her intent was to use the technology to produce pieces which distort or obscure the wearer’s body.
