You
know those clothes you’re wearing – the ones made with good old-fashioned
needles and thread? Give it a few years and they just might be completely
obsolete. The advent (and subsequent rise) of 3D printing has revolutionized
many industries – allowing everything from rapid manufacturing to tissue
reconstruction – but its usefulness is by no means limited to scientific or
medical fields.
Elise Leveque
Case
in point: this year has already seen the release of many 3D-printed fashion
items, custom-printed to exactly fit the people wearing them.
SEE ALSO: Sunglasses Fashion Fads: Fun Live Infographic
Shoes
SEE ALSO: Sunglasses Fashion Fads: Fun Live Infographic
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| Image is licensed under CC Attribution |
Whether
you’re a shoe aficionado or simply see shoes as, well, things that go on your
feet, you can probably attest: it’s tough
to find a good pair of shoes, especially if you’re balancing requirements for
quality and comfort with style and price. But with 3D printing, even the
unconventional geometric shoes by Continuum or the Exoskeletonstyle by Janina Alleyne can be shaped to fit your feet for optimum comfort.
Plus,
the materials they’re made from provide strength and durability despite the
delicate, detailed designs. This in turn allows for more experimental styles
that can withstand day-to-day wear and tear more fully, like the
skeleton-inspired Biomimicry shoes. Equally
groundbreaking are the highly avant-garde yet easily assembled Rapidprototypeshoe (or should that be
Rapidprototypeshoes?) by Marloes ten
Bhömer – when you need to replace them, you can simply print out the parts and
assemble them yourself.
Accessories
Being
generally smaller and easier to print out, it’s no wonder that accessories like
sunglasses and jewellery have been the subject of 3D-print experimentation. The
JointedJewels set by Alissia Melka-Teichroew, for example, consists of
jewellery made with detailed geometric forms, fitting together in a way that
would purportedly be impossible to manufacture otherwise. These
CellCycle rings are likewise intricate and futuristic, arguably a fitting
look for jewellery made with the very latest technology.
But
not all 3D-printed items look vaguely alien; the 3D-printedsunglasses by London designer Ron Arad come in both modern and vintage
styles. Or for an added personal touch, you could go for easily customisable
and highly quirky Tapestry spectacles.
Dresses
Arguably,
the biggest 3D printing-related stir in the fashion industry of late has been
caused by Dita von Teese and the unique3D-printed gown (designed by Michael Schmidt and Francis Bitonti) she
modelled earlier this year. Made of
nylon and printed by Shapeways, it was assembled from 17 separate pieces that
were dyed black, lacquered, and festooned with over 13, 000 Swarovski crystals.
Designer
Iris vanHerpen, similarly, is known for stunning works of fashion that combined 3D
printing and hand-crafting skills to fascinating, evocative effect.
It
may be quite some time before 3D printing hits the high street, but imagine
just how much things will change when it does. You’d be able to take designs to
shops and have them print out custom-fit clothes for you; but equally, shops
would be faced with having to prevent their designs from being illegally
downloaded and printed at home.
What
are some of the advances you’re most excited to see in the fashion industry?
Share your opinions in the comments.
Elise Leveque
About the Author:
Elise Leveque is fascinated by the way innovations in technology can change everyday life. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and opinions by blogging for Printer Basics
Elise Leveque is fascinated by the way innovations in technology can change everyday life. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and opinions by blogging for Printer Basics
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