Over the past few years, a large number of designers are increasingly turning to additive manufacturing as a production method for their masterpieces. Whether at the Chanel Fashion Show, Paris Fashion Show or even Dolce and Gabbana – the trend towards innovation in the field of fashion is unstoppable. Anouk Wipprecht, a FashionTech designer from the Netherlands, knows this better than anyone. Having already worked with celebrities such as the Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears or even Fergie, she is known for taking creative risks. Wipprecht, who, in addition to focusing on artificial intelligence, robotics and mechanics, and machine learning, also uses 3D printing to create her fashion, stole the show with her 3D printed dress creations at a recent event in New York.
The occasion was the opening of Journey, a theatrical gastronomic manifestation in the city that consists of the manipulation of five sensory experiences for a fine dining adventure. This was opened to the public on January 5. 3D printed costumes, which were already a feast for the eyes, took the aesthetics to a higher level.
One of the 3D printed garments.
Wipprecht and Shapeways work together on 3D printed fashion
In the past, the Dutch tech designer decided to collaborate with the company Shapeways to produce clothes that resemble robots. The 3D printed parts are made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as well as polyamide 11 (PA 11). As for the technologies used in the process, selective laser sintering (SLS) was used, as well as the HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) process. The reason for this lies in the subsequent properties of the parts. While Wipprecht used SLS in its work with Shapeways to produce more stable parts, MJF found its application in this case more with more flexible parts. Wipprecht even emphasized the advantages of TPU when used on MJF 3D printers as follows: “With this process, we were able to make the parts flexible and suitable for our plaster cast, while integrating it with technology and electronics. TPU has rubber-like flexibility, good impact resistance, and is tough, so it’s perfect for this type of design.”
For the inaugural Journey360 event, the designer collaborated with Broadway producer Marc Routh and a group of designers, writers, chefs, artists and performers to create a combination of “restaurant x immersive experience x fashion x robotics x projections x art and more,“, as he explains on his Instagram profile. To learn more about it, click HERE.
The event also featured lighting technology
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*All photo credits: Anouk Wipprecht