ElektroCouture has been doing some interesting work with knitted textiles in Berlin, and you may remember this post about their glowy scarves with engaging patterns. Well, they’ve amped up their offerings with a new sweater collaboration with artist KEF! First, a little about this line loving wielder of paint cans.
KEF!’s name means ‘scar’ and is how he sees paint on walls, a lasting mark left by an artist which is difficult to remove. It is also short so handy for when he used to tag a lot. The intricate style of KEF!’s work can be described as abstract graffiti, with KEF! often talking about the flow and harmony within the lines he creates. As an artist he works instinctively taking inspiration from within himself and nature. Creating for him is a type of meditation. KEF!’s work has evolved over the years. From two simple characters, each with one eye that he tried to paint everywhere, to an array of abstract shapes. KEF!’s work can now be seen all across the globe and has been working closely with Urban Outfitters, redesigning the interiors of the London, Berlin, Stuttgart and Hong Kong stores.
I can see how his work is meditative; the swirl of lines reminds me of mindful mazes you find at churches or the raked lines of sand at Japanese gardens. ElektroCouture happened to see KEF!’s work at PopUpFashion in Berlin, and it was love at first sight. They have used knitting machines capable of translating images into knitted yarn, so it appears to be the perfect fashion/art connection. The result is a sweater with even more color punch scribed with a tiny line of EL wire. The simplicity of the pattern allows the light to appear subtle, which is the trademark of ElektroCouture’s work. Bright LEDs are not for everyone, so their designs take into account that people want to be just as comfortable wearing their tech art at a casual party as they would in a board room. Illuminated fashion at work? Absolutely. Like the scarves, the sweaters are easily rechargeable, allowing for hours of light fun. It’s another success for ElektroCouture and I hope their fearless leader, Lisa Lang, is feeling my love. It’s awesome having tech fashionistas scattered around the world!
So, maybe you would like to make your own colorblocked sweater or striped pullover. How to begin? Read up on our Tron Hoodie project. It’s a great way to learn about EL wire so you can incorporate some glowy lines into your own fashion. Remember that EL takes many forms, including tape, panels and classic wire. Have fun seeing what effects you can bring to your wardrobe!
Every Wednesday is Wearable Wednesday here at Adafruit! We’re bringing you the blinkiest, most fashionable, innovative, and useful wearables from around the web and in our own original projects featuring our wearable Arduino-compatible platform, FLORA. Be sure to post up your wearables projects in the forums or send us a link and you might be featured here on Wearable Wednesday!