XYZ 3D Printed Fashion Piece

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Australian architects Kae Woei Lim and Elena Low won the top prize in an international 3D printed fashion competition organised by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The award ceremony took place on December 17th, 2013 at NTU, which also launched its $30m Additive Manufacturing Centre that houses state-of-the-art 3D printers. The competition called for water-inspired, sustainable fashion pieces made using 3D printing technology as a conversation starter about the potential of this innovation in the fashion world. Inspired by the electrolysis of water to create hydrogen, their winning design featured a series of solid and "open" spheres that created a lace-like fabric, evoking both stillness and a traditional textile weave. The silhouette echoed a traditional Chinese cheongsam, merging tradition and technology. They used Rhino 3D modelling software to map out patterns based on a 3D scan of a tailor's mannequin, then "unrolled" and sized the model skin for printing within their desktop 3D printer's constraints. The final piece was made up of 26 sections, taking around 170 hours to print in flexible plastic (PLA). They also created a five-part version for large format printers, highlighting how accessible domestic 3D printers can be in creating unique wearable pieces.