Module 3

Assignments for Module 3

WEEK 10: INTRODUCTION TO SMART TEXTILES  This module will address another movement in futuristic fashion: using technology to create garments and related apparel from Smart textiles. Become acquainted with the basic types of Smart textiles and how they can be used practically and metaphorically to improve quality of life for its wearers by being fashioned into garments.Smart textiles or garments are sometimes called “e-Textiles” (although they are slightly different) and can be considered part of the larger category of “Wearables” (any technology you can wear).

1. Read this Overview of Smart textiles
2. Read explanation of Smart Textile classifications (posted on Blackboard)
3. Read how “The Clothes we wear are about to undergo a wild digital revolution” by Jared Lindzon in Fast Company (March 25, 2021)
4. For your ASSIGNMENT: Evaluate the Smart garments and textiles being produced in the list below to complete the Homework assignment. You will find examples of passive, active smart and very smart textiles
5. Read about MIT’s partnership with AFFOA
6. Review Moore’s Law on the AFFOA web site
7. Watch this lecture by Yoel Fink about the history of technology (~23 min.)
8. Review Google’s Project Jacquard on the web site
9. Watch video of collaborations with Levi’s, Adidas, and Saint Laurent (~1 min)
10. Watch video of how the Levi’s Commuter Jacket is made (~4 min)
11. Review the technology behind it
12. Read “Loomia’s Electronic Jacket heats up the e-textile market” by Maghan McDowell in Vogue Business (March 14, 2019)
13. Review LOOMIA’s web site about the company’s products
14. Read the LOOMIA blogs to get a sense of how smart textiles can be used in clothing
15. Read “Ministry of Supply will Tailor this Sweater to Your Body While you Wait” by Katharine Schwab in Fast Company (December 18, 2018); watch the video(~2 min) demonstrating the technology
16. Review the Ministry of Supply web site
17. Review the Knit-Yak web site and the “Cyber Scarf” and other products knitted using algorithmic code
18. Review and watch video of this bike-powered scarf knitter
19. Read about this Active User-Controlled color changing fabric being developed as University of Central Florida

See Blackboard for the assignment on identifying passive smart, active smart, and very smart textiles, due at the end of WEEK 8

WEEK 11: Fashion Designers Using New Technologies

This section highlights the Dutch Amsterdam-based designer Iris van Herpen, and the Turkish-Cypriot London-based designer Hussein Chalayan as the avant-garde of future fashion. Both designers use new technologies such as 3-d printing, laser cutting, LEDs and microcontrollers to realize new and highly conceptual forms, merging art, garment design, and engineering. Both designers work with collaborative teams of specialist in order to realize their visions. Chalayan’s collections feature a RTW line and special effect finale garment in collection; van Herpen focuses on Haute Couture. 

Iris van Herpen             https://www.irisvanherpen.com/about

Read more about van Herpen’s process and vision, viewing the videos successively about how the collections were made. 

1. The Importance of Couture Van Herpen’s Interview with Vogue Arabia (September 5, 2019)
2. “Examining the anatomy of air” Iris van Herpen’s collaboration with longtime collaborator and architect, Philip Beesley (read article + watch video of ‘Dome” dress, ~2 min)
3. Sustainability and Haute Couture Van Herpen’s interview with Vogue Australia (July 2019)
4. Hypnosis Collection: July 2019 (~6 min) https://youtu.be/72yAm_csi20
5. Hypnosis Process Film: July 2019 (~5 min) https://youtu.be/xp5h3y0LE-M
6. Shift Souls Collection: January 2019 (~8.5 min) https://youtu.be/xwJb0-20Ad4
7. Shift Souls Process Film: February 2019 (~6 min) https://youtu.be/gKb0v5J_wTE
8. Sensory Seas Collection: January 2020 (~8.5 min) https://youtu.be/pGxia4hkTyc
9. Sensory Seas Process film: February 2020 (~5.5 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f30Qj_fogXU

Hussein Chalayan         https://chalayan.com/pages/the-studio

While Chalayan regularly creates a sensible, urban RTW collection, featured garments experiment with technology to express concepts. Watch his TEdTalk and videos for highlights from 2000 to the present day.

1. My Life as an Outsider Ted Talk (~16 min) A Ted Talk by the designer about his working methods between the worlds of art and fashion
2. After Words (2000) What can you take when you have to leave your home in a time of war? Watch a table transform into a dress (This is also featured briefly in the Ted Talk)
3. Remote controlled “airplane” dress (2007) (~2 min)
4. LED Dress with Swarovski (2007)(~3 min)
5. Kaikoku: The Floating Dress (2011)(~3 min)
6. Pasatiempo: Dresses dissolve with water (2016)(watch ~2 min)

Check Blackboard Module 3 for the Discussion Board topic on Smart Textiles 

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