Print the body. Clothes printing project

Abstract

Skin has become the main fabric of the 21st century, enabling the body itself to become the new customised apparel.

Over the last three years of my studies, my research was based not only on style considerations, but also on moving away from contemporary industrial constraints and going towards a new clothing production method. My research was focused on developing an artisanal process that makes clothing comparable to 3D printing. I drew on my research of human anatomy and the body to rethink the construction of clothing. My work is an analogy between body and clothing. My designs are based on human muscular weaves. All my patterns are extracted from human anatomy to create a new, wearable skin. This method of construction allows people to wear their own anatomies, exposing the internal construction of their bodies. Each piece is entirely made of a single recycled thread. This experimental method is hand-crafted, without the use of a sewing machine. Because this process is handmade, the goal is to develop a machine that is capable of sewing customised apparel based on a 3D body scan. While doing my PhD in fashion textiles, I have collaborated alongside engineers to produce this new technology. This method both eliminates textile waste and proposes a different form of industrial customised clothing production.