Concept: a multidisciplinary artistic fashion show / performance mixing art and technological materials with special effects to create impactful dresses that attract the eye but also delivers messages to the audience.
Example 1: Starfield dress – A fabric made of carbon nanotubes, blacker than black (99,95% absorption), looks like a void, an endless space. Interwoven in the fabric there are 200-300 nanoLEDs with a size of 0,1mm looking like stars parsecs away. Each LED is independently animated to twinkle using a physical realistic algorithm using a microcontroller. The spectra of each one, when saw in real life, resembles the diversity of stars in the firmament. The technique is fully developed and the first prototype is finished at the time of this writing.
Example 2: Dynamic poetry dress. A dress made of cyanoacrylate lenticular material allows to create images that shift and animate depending on the viewing angle. Imagine a dress where the stamping is animated. We are going to create poetry with messages about freedom, integration and humanity that shifts and animates when the person wearing it walks, moves or turns around or when the viewer changes position. The technique is fully developed.
Example 3: A series of round shapes emits a kaleidoscopic light in a very colourful and unusual way. The technique is based on the use of polarisers and oled emitters. The technique is fully developed.
Categories: the garments will be made based on the following categories: shape shifting (shape changes via hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical or others means), optical effects, animations, fluids and interactive. At the moment we have 16 ideas/techniques developed, some will be made to the first round, some will be kept for future shows.
Preparations: We already researched the materials, technology, build techniques, of the first two models, the Starfield and Dynamic Poetry dresses and we built the Starfield. Also we defined the suppliers for many of the key unusual, hard to find or high tech materials. We developed the programming and custom electronics for the new microcontrollers of the series atTiny412-3212, esp32 and others (various dresses are micro-controlled).
In January 2024 the main work will start doing the fashion design directed by Tania Olmedo to further build them model by model.
The build will consist in clay modelling, casting, plastic molding, hydraulic and electronics design and construction and many other techniques and of course the traditional fabric sewing.
In each phase we are going to work interactively with the dancers, models and drag queens to refine both the artistic side of the models as well as the usability and the needs for the show itself.
In parallel the Dj and light designer should start creating the sound and lightscapes for the shows.
The project will develop a completely unique art and fashion that has never been seen before and will put Sweden on the map. The Fusion Fashion Show will be developed and performed by young people and professionals from Sweden. This will enable the integration of different social groups: young students, professionals, both foreign and Swedish. In the end, there will be a good amount of knowledge to increase the strength of the region in various subjects: project development, technology, special effects, programming, automation, robotics and high-tech materials. This knowledge will create a network for other companies and a knowledge bank. The fact that this project is completely outside the box in terms of resources and techniques with many tools related to innovation will strengthen the vision to create new companies and projects in the future.
The target: we had the request from a group of youngsters to be part of the project, to be informed on the developments and to be part of the show as models. We believe that this project can be a great way to introduce young people to many aspects of art and production. The fact that we crosslink art, fashion and technology is very appealing to youngsters.
A multidisciplinary art project that generates a concrete experience, opens platforms for new job opportunities for young people currently in education. A concrete example is in design and fashion where they seek to create sustainable job opportunities. These designers, instead of working in the traditional way, creating four collections a year, will work multidisciplinary, more dynamic and more in line with the future and the necessary sustainability. We strive to give young people a paradigm shift where culture is created instead of generating products and where what is consumed instead of objects is also culture. Within this framework, we will create a collaborative space between different disciplines, which in turn can open up new ways of working.
We will train them in subjects like design, robotics, automation, IoT and enjoy their creativity and fresh ideas.
We will build the teams based on the contacts already established but also through organizations such as Drömmarnas hus.
Minorities will be part of the project in a direct way. We got drag queens interested in being a part of the creation and modelling. They are an integral part of the show.
The poetry created for the dresses will revolve around integration, diversity, gender equality and environmental issues.
The show: the fusion fashion show will be done in several venues around Sweden and Europe combining diverse artistic expressions: dancers, models and drag queens will wear the garments giving a new layer of expression to them through their own art. A Dj or band will play the music that can be faded to the dance party after the show if in a club environment or during the show if in an art exhibition facility or gallery. A light designer will paint with light the venue.
Coda: when finished the first set of fusion fashion shows we aim to create a series of workshops, talks and courses to pass forward the lessons learned as well as the technologies developed, design, programming, electronic and mechanics development, sourcing, project development, etc and to integrate new creative people for possible further developments.
OBS: the leds seen by the camera looks much bigger that in the real life as the contrast is too high for the camera to have any possible right exposure. For video there will be a second programming with lower light levels.
Starfield dress facts
Handmade carbon nanotubes fabric
The fabric absorbs 99,95% of the light
It is powerful enough that it can be see on day or nightlight
Ambient sensor to adapt automatically to the ambient light
The stars has diverse spectral ranges as the real celestial obkects
Custom designed electronics
Low power 20MHz microcontroller driven by batteries
200 nanoLEDs with 0,1 mm aperture
Each LED is independently animated with a physically accurate blinking algorithm
5400 welding points
1000 meters of wire