Although fashion innovation in 3D printing so far has come from the Haute Couture world rather than the high street, these experiments in digitally fabricated materials for the body have sparked a great deal of interest and the seeds of innovation in computational design for wearable technology.
Last month the INTERLACED team gathered for London's 3D Print Show. Unpredictable as the London weather is, the sudden rain got us soaked up but didn't spoil the mood. And how could it? We spent the day at the Computational Fashion track, chaired by our founder Kristina Dimitrova who interviewed Roberta Lucca, Co-Founder and CEO of Wonderluk, a pioneering online marketplace where design and fashion lovers can find and customise 3D printed jewelry and accessories.
Kristina and Roberta discussed how 3D printing is impacting the design and manufacturing processes, creating new business models and the possibilities of customization with 3D printing for the fashion industry.
TAILORED AVANT-GARDE PIECES FOR FASHION LOVERS
As passionate serial entrepreneur, Roberta sets the Wonderluk's vision, product, brand and creative direction to dazzle all incredible women around the world. After successfully building the London-based game company Bossa Studios Roberta is now onto changing the fashion industry and the way we look at it.
When first started exploring 3D printing, she realised its complexity and both creative and coding skills needed to make beautiful objects - be that shoes, accessories or jewellery. Her research into the customers' perception towards this innovative manufacturing method revealed that there was a demand for customisation and bespoke fashion by the wider public.
"I thought, there might really be some business out there. It's not that we actually build an entirely customed jewellery, but we make something between what can be done and the closest to what the customer wants, which is all about personalisation. And that's how Wonderluk was born."
To Roberta, once fashion tech pieces become truly wearable, as they promise to, they will get the attention they deserve. Often clunky, she says that wearables need to be embedded to clothing and become invisible to really take off. The reality of the market now is geeky products for tech people, resulting in cold, unappealing pieces. To attract the fashion-forward crowd who are eager to explore innovative creations, these products should master the merge between design, aesthetics and functionality.
Like any retailer, Wonderluk is focused on creating beautiful and stylish jewellery. But while personalising accessories through traditional retailers can be quite costly for customers, by using 3D printing Wonderluk can offer a variety of styles, colours and materials options that won't break the bank.
This is the great thing about 3D printing: because complexity is free, customisation is free too, meaning there is no mass quantity demand and no minimum order. This way supply meets demand and designers who use additive manufacturing can take their products to market with no risk.
Interested by 3D printing in fashion? Read our take on the subject.
If you want to find out more about the future of fashion join us at #INTERLACED2015 on 3rd September. Early bird tickets are on sale now.
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