The Latest Fashion & Technology Innovations To Know About
At Scarlet Destiny, we have a deep passion for fashion and innovation, and we're excited about the possibilities that arise when these two worlds intersect. We also frequently discuss the importance of sustainability and ethics in fashion and as we recently came across what might be a new fashion revolution in the future - MIT's robotic arm - we’ve also been exploring new and exciting fashion innovations to bring to your feeds. And we found some really cool ones!
TeaFab
The designer Mengyan Guo has crafted TeaFab, a sculptural ensemble of a top and skirt created from recycled tea leaves that possess the ability to purify the air due to the activated carbon present in these materials. By blending discarded tea leaves with biodegradable glue, she discovered that increasing the thickness of the mixture enhances its durability. Additionally, she also experimented with producing her own tea dye and ink from these leftover tea leaves and successfully created bio-leather by combining the leaves with tea brew and gelatin.
The sculptural design of the top and skirt reflects the intricate veins and forms of tea leaves, trees, and insects. Mengyan Guo's choice to explore this path stems from her desire to connect nature with biomaterials through TeaFab, integrating natural elements with human-made designs. The collar is crafted from repurposed tea leaves, shaped and twisted to mimic the natural contours of tree branches and roots. The embellishments incorporate both tea tree elements and the silhouettes of insect legs, while the core of the garments showcases a fusion of insect skeletal structures and the texture of tea leaves.
RO
At the recent RIMOWA Design Prize 2024, Janne Kreimer's innovative entry, RO, emerged as the winning design. This student from Anhalt University, specialising in Integrated Design, created a therapeutic vest integrated with soft robots—pod-like inflatables that inflate with air when the wearer feels anxious. These inflatable pods are strategically placed to target acupressure points throughout the body, helping to alleviate anxiety and soothe nerves.
Recognising that these points vary based on the user's body shape, age, and gender, Janne Kreimer employs a body scan to create a 3D digital model of the wearer. Once the body scan is completed, the system precisely calibrates the spacing between the soft robots using algorithms, ensuring that these pods accurately target the user's acupressure points related to anxiety. Essentially, the RO vest—equipped with soft robots that won the RIMOWA Design Prize—is customised to meet the individual needs of the wearer, enhancing their parasympathetic nervous system response and providing calm during anxious moments. This innovative vest may potentially evolve into a staple of everyday wear, and the solution to anxiety.
Heat-Activated Fashion Tech
The designer Kim Mesches introduced a range of colour-changing tops and dresses crafted from resin that shift hues through heat-activated technology in his latest collection. The vibrant colours transition from blue to orange, purple to lavender, moss to jade green, and beyond. These garments utilise thermochromic or colour-changing dyes, pigments, and materials, blended with hardened resin, allowing them to change colours when exposed to heat. On sunny days, these tops and dresses provide a dynamic look, enabling the wearer to visually refresh their outfit at any moment (as long as they are surrounded by heat and a cool breeze).
While heat-activated technology may not be entirely new to the fashion world, with a history of similar garments, it continues to evolve. For instance, there’s a colour-shifting jacket that glows orange during the day and yellow-green at night. A robotic arm can customise a dress using heat-activated yarns tailored to the wearer’s fit. Thermal-reactive jackets for winter and puffers for summer are also trending. The continued advancement of heat-activated technology, exemplified by Kim Mesches’ colour-changing resin tops and dresses, fosters playful and innovative fashion, potentially curbing clothing overconsumption by allowing for quick and easy style and colour transformations virtually anywhere.
MO/GO
Skip and Arc’teryx have collaborated to create MO/GO, a pair of powered exoskeleton trousers designed to enhance the hiking experience on hills and mountains. The pants are produced by the Canadian apparel brand, while the carbon fiber-crafted wearable technology originates from a California-based startup. When hikers don the Arc’teryx pants, Skip’s powered exoskeleton on the sides activates, providing a boost of up to 40 percent to their legs, making their steps feel lighter.
This innovation can make hikers feel 30 pounds lighter when ascending. On the descent, MO/GO offers gentle support to the knees, helping to prevent slipping and reducing effort. The wearable technology is designed to alleviate muscle fatigue and joint discomfort by enhancing the strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings, although not to be used for medical reasons. The motors of the powered exoskeleton trouser are cleverly housed within the wheel of MO/GO. As hikers move, the wheel spins or rotates based on their actions, activating the necessary boost for their journey.
[info sourced on designboom.com]