A few days ago, I attended a TEDX in Barcelona titled: Which is the future of fashion?
In this chat, a video was projected in which Danit Peleg, fashion designer, shows how she did her first collection printed in 3D.
If you watch this video, you will agree that textile is still light-years ahead of being able to perform series production by means of the 3D printers because, the material used feels like plastic and does not perspire. The time of impression depends on the used materials and is very slow, though it will quicken in the future. The cost of the material (polyurethane) is still very high. Software is necessary for each article and assembly is also needed.
But already there are people commercializing collections applying this technology. Iris Van Herper applies a more modern point of view (futuristic I would say) to the Haute Couture, combining digital technology with handmade works.
I enjoy technology advantages and what it supposes. I perform a great part of my work on the computer. I have a Kindle which I take everywhere, I use Whattsapp and other apps, but when I enter a bookshop which has drawing materials and beautiful notebooks… my eyes shine. And I am delighted looking at fabric collections and imagining what articles I could make with them as soon as I touch or see them. At this moment, 3D does not cause this feeling.
Probably the article production is slower but little by little it is approaching to our lives.
Binokers is a start-up company from Barcelona that offers the possibility of producing 3D glasses. It is very well explained on the video.
Would this be a good solution for new designers? May it be applied to textile? I can think of several ways of applying it but not related to the manufacturing of 3D articles or with virtual fashion.
I have found a curious tool on the network: the virtual fitting room of Visualook Company. They explain it very well on their web page:
THE PROBLEM: most users do not buy clothes through Internet fearing of “how will it look like on me”; if you don’t have the physical clothes to try it on in your house without knowing its lengths nor to see how if it combines with other articles.
THE SOLUTION: it offers to manufacturers, clothes retailers and footwear, two complementary tools that are included on their online shops in order to increase their sales up to 60 % and to reduce the number of returned merchandise, due to size problems up to 25.
This virtual fitting room has an avatar in which the client can personalize his/her measures and visualize on how it would look like. It is very entertaining; take your shot even though the avatar is not very feminine, it gives you an idea of how it could look like without the need of trying on clothes.
It looks like a spectacular advance for shops or online fashion brands to me.