As many of you know, we’ve worked with multiple fashion power houses over the years and this year we’re excited to share runway pieces created with design duo Ohne Titel and sponsored by Microsoft.
For their Autumn/Winter 2016 collection, Ohne Titel used Shapeways to print chain-like pieces using our Frosted Detail Plastic. Those pieces were layered over black garments to emphasize the links and patterns. They also created 3D panels that were linked together using crochet techniques and 3D printed closures.
(Courtesy of Ohne Titel)
While a lot of 3D printed fashion is seen as marrying a new technology with an “old” way of making clothes, what Ohne Titel has done really showcases how far the industry has come. By incorporating the art of crochet and knitting with 3D printed parts, they show the juxtaposition between the two techniques, while also proving it’s a match made in fashion heaven.
Ohne Titel designer, Flora Gill, explains:
“I love the unexpected mix of old-world and futuristic manufacturing. We looked to chainmail structures for inspiration and elongated our “chains” to make a herringbone structure. It’s interesting to work with 3D modelers and the printers to see what is possible. 3D printing in some ways has limitless potential, but it is still very beta. We found many parallels with knitting technologies. In the beginning of our careers, it was usually difficult to computer program intricate knit programs. Now knitting machines are easily programmed and the techniques they create would have been unimaginable 10 years ago. We can’t wait to see what will be possible for knitting and 3D printing in the next 10 years.”
(Courtesy of Ohne Titel)
Ohne Titel worked with designer Chester Dols – a graduate from our Computational Fashion Master Class with Eyebeam Studios. After designing all their sketches, he 3D modeled the pieces and prepared them for printing. He has a background in architecture and currently collaborates with his sister on the design collective Putain de Beau.
3D printing seems to be the answer to closing the gap between the custom, high-couture pieces we see walking down the runway and the mass manufactured, ready-to-wear pieces in stores across the world. The ability to create custom clothing at a mass manufactured scale has the chance to truly change the fashion industry as we know it, and will continue to close the gap between new technology and traditional manufacturing methods.
Not sure I see any advantage of 3d printing here except for the novelty factor (that must be getting old even in fashion circles) – they could just as well have sewn or knitted used plastic rings from sixpacks or skirt rings from plastic bottle caps together.