Tag: anouk wipprecht

FASHIONTECH: WHAT’S NEXT? (part 2)

We can’t imagine our daily life without technology. Why don’t we see this development reflected more on the runway and in the way we dress?

Last week I ended my Fashiontech part 1 blog with the issue of the fashion aspect in techno clothes. There is a whole lot of experimenting going on when it comes to gadget- ish dresses and T-shirts. Look at this clip for instance where the so-called climate dress is shown. It lights up when there is a high concentration of CO2 in it surrounding. Or, the Intimacy Dress, designed by Dutch designers Anouk Wipprecht and Daan Roosegaarde. The closer a person gets, the more transparent the gown becomes. Last but not least: the spray on shirt.

Great experiments, but where is the fashion part? The part that makes the piece of clothing feel modern and makes the wearer feel refreshed; makes her dream about what you could be when wearing a dress like this?

Gradually a bridge is being created between the world of technicians and fashion designers. Two groups that you could imagine needed the time to get to know each other.

A great example of how the two can melt into a fashionable sculpture is a dress by Canada based designer Ying Gao. It seems as if the subtle moving gown is not just a gadget, but really adds to the fairytale atmosphere of her show. In other words: it makes you dream of nymphs and princesses in a windy forest.

Next week the last fashiontech blog will be about the activities concerning wearable technology on DEAF Festival, held from May 16th till June 3rd in Rotterdam. In the meantime the Dutchies can contemplate further on the subject by watching a talkshow I presented commissioned by Vodafone. Among guests are fashion designer Pauline van Dongen and Natasha van der Velden; researcher on sustainability and industrial design at the Technische Universiteit Delft. What if the two would start a structural collaboration?

Intimacy Black

As Technology becomes a larger part of our lives, the question is when it will play an integral part in the world of fashion. About a year ago I came across Intimacy Black, a new dress sprung from the mind of Anouk Wipprecht. Due to a small electrical current running through the fabric, the dress unveils your body the closer someone gets to you, becoming more transparent. The dress, made of smart foil, not only has an interesting design but also makes sure there is a sensual play going on between you and the approaching person.

Anouk Wipprecht graduated last summer as a fashion designer at the HKU and made this sexy creation for ‘Summer Sessions V2′ in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. She is one of the four artists who were given time, money and a team of experts to realize their concept.

Intimacy is a series of fashion products by Daan Roosegaarde and V2_ with the goal to explore the relationship between technology and intimacy. The first dress (Intimacy White) was designed by Maartje Dijkstra and later the first Intimacy bag was made.

Intimacy Black is a great example of using technology to create a 4th dimension to your clothing. Let’s hope more designers see the power of this and apply it to their new collections.