was about the possible death of sewing machines and seamstresses. I came across an interesting article in The New York Times last week about 3-D printing, a trend that has become more and more prevalent in RTW and high fashion, and made a big splash during Victoria Secret’s most recent fashion show. Swarovski has worked with Victoria Secret to design “the angels” costumes for over a decade, however, this year, the jewel company implemented 3-D printing to create the barely-there bits of clothing called undergarments for the model, Lindsey Ellington. By conducting a body scan of Ellington, a costume consisting of a corset, a bustle, and arm pieces that fit her body perfectly was made.
The process 3-D printing starts with a 3-D model of the piece to be made. A computer system then breaks the model down into triangular planes, flattens it into a 2-D sheet, and adds hinges that allow the printed piece to be folded back into its original form once it is sent to the printer for fabrication. With this technology, the complexity of a garment has the potential of being incredible – one garment could be part sweater, part t-shirt, and part jacket.
Right now, the technology is limited, and most clothing is made from nylon. Also, the pieces made are more couture than everyday. But what if it spreads into laymen land? Personally, I don’t think sewing machines and seamstress will become nonexistent, but it might become an item like the Polaroid camera – a trinket that symbolizes the time it was popular and is only used by enthusiasts What do you think?
Also, Kelli of True Bias is hosting an ornament giveaway, so be sure to hop on over to her blog to check it out!
