In recent years, a growing number of designers have found a new way to create their unique works: additive manufacturing. The designs presented at this year’s Chanel Fashion Show, Paris Fashion Show, and Dolce and Gabbana showcase a continued push for fashion innovation. The Netherlands-based FashionTech designer Anouk Wipprecht is certainly no stranger to bold risks and has collaborated with popular artists such as the Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, and Fergie. Building on her skills in artificial intelligence, robotics, mechanics, and machine learning, Wipprecht recently made a statement in New York with 3D-printed dresses. Her work is a testament to the true power of additive manufacturing in the professional fashion world.
The 5th of January marked the opening of ‘Journey’, an innovative theatrical gastronomy event that promised to manipulate the five senses for an extraordinary dining experience. Visually stunning, the presentation was further heightened by the introduction of 3D-printed costumes. An opportunity not to be missed, this remarkable gastronomic event promised to be an exquisite experience.
With Wipprecht approaching Shapeways to combine fashion and 3D printing, the two entities were able to deliver unique designs characterized by a robotic aesthetic. Focusing on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polyamide 11 (PA 11), selective laser sintering (SLS) and HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) processes were utilized in order to obtain the desired properties of the printed parts. Ultimately, SLS was employed to obtain a more secure outcome while MJF was implemented to make the parts more flexible. Wipprecht even expressed her enthusiasm for TPU when used on MJF 3D printers, noting that it offered “flexible and convenient” results for plaster casts simultaneously “incorporating technology and electronics.”
For Journey360’s inaugural event, the designer worked in partnership with Broadway producer Marc Routh and an assembly of professionals including designers, writers, chefs, artists, and performers, creating a unique combination of ‘restaurant and immersive experiences, fashion, robotics, projections, art, and other elements’. This was explained in an Instagram post.
