Beyond its futuristic reputation, 3-D fashion also has the bare-bones appeal of reducing waste, improving turnaround times and saving money.
Seen by some academics as the third industrial revolution, three-dimensional printing technology emerged in 1984. Despite that advancement 35 years ago, not many fashion companies have rushed to leap into the area.
More sci-fi minded and forward-thinkers like Iris van Herpen and FashionTech’s Anouk Wipprecht are leading the charge. Van Herpen’s multidisciplinary approach has led to collaborations with Neri Oxman of MIT’s Media Lab and architects such as Philip Beesley and Benthem Crouwel Architects. Her science and technology leanings have also led to ongoing conversations with CERN, which is known as the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
Wipprecht, like van Herpen, is a Dutch designer. Through partnerships with Intel, AutoDesk, Google, Microsoft, Cirque du Soleil, Audi, Swarovski and the 3-D-printing company Materialise she researches how the future would look as we continue to embed technology into what we wear. Her Intel-Edison enabled “Spider Dress” for example, was designed with sensors and movable arms to create more defined boundaries as much as style.
Danit Peleg, Hugo Boss, Adidas and Under Armour have also delved into 3-D design. Cattyt’s designer Cat Taylor said about 20 brands and designers
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