Van Herpen’s Innovative Fashion: Can You See the Tech? #WearableWednesday #wearabletech #3Dprinting #fashion
Iris van Herpen collaborated with Berlin artist Esther Stocker creating Between the Lines, recently seen at the Paris Haute Couture show. Here’s the concept from van Herpen’s site:
Van Herpen focuses on the gaps in between the structures of her materials, rather then the structures themselves, by shaping patterns that dissimulate the body’s perspective or subtract it. By building up the patterns and then distorting them, the eye’s perspective is tricked and challenged to see new patterns occurring in between. Linear shifts and sharp contrasts form the base of this innovative approach to material development and pattern-making and challenge us to “mind the system, but to find the gaps.”
What you’ll discover are plenty of lines and repetitive patterns which play with those made by the organic and the machine. Esther Stocker has done plenty of installation work in the past using geometric black and white design that brings illusion to space. So, the combination of artists here trick the eye, covering areas you may expect to see, as well as revealing areas you don’t expect to see. There is also exaggeration, morphing the body into new curious shapes. One of my favorite designs in this collection appears moth-like.
While delving into the tech for these fashions, I discovered wonderful materials which appear 3D printed, yet allow for the natural interference of the hand-made. Van Herpen’s site provides detail, as well as an exciting behind-the-scenes video showing the process.
New techniques in this collection include soft 3D hand-casted PU fabrics that are hand-painted through injection molding and fine expandable laser-cut Mylar fabrics reminiscent of digital glitches in collaboration with architect Philip Beesley.
Iris van Herpen is always on my top list of those exploring wearables, and you may want to re-visit my post outlining her Seijaku show. I’m impressed that she shared the artistry for the work, and I’m sure many of you will be inspired to do some DIY materials of your own. Remember that 3D printing can cross over into other realms, including creating food. Check out our learning guide for 3D Printing Chocolate Molds to get started with some tasty disruption, or use the knowledge to just experiment with duplicating shapes you love. What would you like to make?
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!
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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!