Wednesday 26 February 2014

3D printed materials



This is some of the most beautiful chain mail I've ever come across. Robust, flexible and amazingly 3D printed in one sample section, Digits 2 Widgets'  Jonathan Rowley explained the process and potential involved in these amazing tangible materials to me this afternoon. A tour of the studio helped me to understand what goes into producing something like this - and I can't stop imagining these materials as wearables.

Monday 24 February 2014

my CV


FYI

Embellishment enjoyment




images via Style Bubble

The aesthetic and textural richness of these stunning embellishments from Mary Katranzou's A/W 14-5 show earlier this month totally threw me. Everything about them makes me want to touch. They're like fashion microcosms that are in fact only a tiny part of the whole look - and that whole look is just as visually delicious as you'd expect. Moving away from the CAD work of the digital prints which were so highly praised in Katranzou's work before, these intricately crafted 3D elements collage together with a variety of tactile fabrics. Yet this seemingly traditional hark back to tangible design techniques only makes me think how she will oppose such an approach in her next collection.

Perhaps it's because I'm surrounded y it because of my job, but the natural progression I see for Katranzou in the future is the 3D printing of such elements. Although this suggestion appears to undermine the hand-crafted, unique, non-digital aim of this beautiful collection, I can't help but to be slightly jarred by the disjointed variety of processes involved in the outfits that were walked. To me, it seems obvious that the complex, custom-made laces involved in some of the looks might be developed in the next few months via 3D print technology. These laces could be made not only to match an original aesthetic, but could be produced in an original material.




















































The textural chain mail certainly makes the critical first step towards options for 3D print progression in her work. I'm very much looking forward to seeing her work develop - and whether 3D printing is involved or not, I'm convinced that Katrantzou will continue to maintain the alternating technical aspect to her work.

Sunday 23 February 2014

gear talk


One idea, many disciplines.


MakeVR: 3D Modelling

Another element of the 3D Printshow fashion show that I managed the content for was an intro from MakerVR:



explanation via prosthetic knowledge here:
http://prostheticknowledge.tumblr.com/post/76142666969/makevr-kickstarter-campaign-from-sixense-for-3d#notes

They opened the show by contextualizing the 3D printed pieces via a demonstration of their computational design process.


Thursday 20 February 2014

3D Printshow: New York // press

There's been plenty of interesting press from our 3D Printshow fashion event last week - I'm particularly amused by my interview feature on CNN Money's coverage of the show.



Whilst there is still plenty of hype surrounding 3D printing, people are still confused as to what it is and how it can relate to fashion. Admittedly, we're still along way off from realizing the dream of printing your own clothes in your own home. And additionally, we don't have much to offer yet in terms of 3D printed flexible materials. But last week we presented the start of what we believe is the next major turning point in the fashion industry - and it is exciting. We're currently at the point of producing piece-together outfits and 3d printed fashion accessories and artifacts, which are stunningly impressive at best, and aesthetically interesting at worst. Maybe next time, a presentation - rather than a runway show - will work better.

Either way, it was fascinating to witness the public's reaction to what I've been sourcing and working on for the last few months.

Wednesday 19 February 2014

New York shots

Another short 3D Printed Fashion essay



The following text was written for the Fashion House exhibition which I recently curated for 3D Printshow New York:

The rate at which 3D print technology continues to develop is evident across industries. Yet despite this awe-inspiring and wide-reaching progression, particular areas of exploration especially capture our imaginations. Fashion is one such area, and the collection featured at 3D Printshow New York serves to illustrate just what additive manufacture can do for wearable, technological design.
                The undeniable excitement that is apparent in all of the exhibited pieces demonstrates the potential that 3D printing can allow. Previously unexplored forms can be accessed by innovative techniques, encouraging a new school of designers who are working towards original and astounding fashion artefacts and garments. A fresh approach to fashion ensues: trends in computational design can be immediately accessed by anyone with a computer, allowing engineers, architects and professionals from a variety of fields to contribute to this ambitious sartorial discourse.
                Amidst the excitement, it’s certainly easy to get carried away by the new possibilities on offer. However, 3D printed fashion is by no means separate from the traditional and contemporary fashion design methods which are still popularly used throughout the industry. The tension between hand-crafted skill and machine-induced production is certainly evident within collections of additive manufactured wearables, and will doubtlessly remain an area of discussion and disagreement. This critical approach certainly lays the foundation for more fascinating research – both in terms of the materials being used, as well as the subject explored – and stands as a continuation of Fashion’s productive development.
                The pieces presented in this collection stand to question our own relationship with clothing and materials. Should 3D printed fashion be attempting to push creative limits, or should it be creating new ways to support one of the economy’s largest existing industries? And should the practical applications of 3D scanning and computational design overlook the stunning new forms that can be produced – however unwearable some of these pieces may be?
                Join us as we continue to explore and question the expanding field of computational design and 3D printed fashion.

Tuesday 4 February 2014