this will be vintage someday

[claireshaeffer]

http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archi...e-in-a-fully-articulated-3d-printed-gown.html​

 

[retro ruth]

That's incredible. And she's the perfect person to model it.

 

[claireshaeffer]

One of my colleagues explained how these printers work. The simple explanation is that is like a layer of white out with new drawing on it then more white out, etc to make a 3D design.

 

[foofoogal]

Wowee. The 3D should make the creative mind run wild.
Very interesting. Thank you for this.

 

[sewingmachinegirl]

Hi Claire, I spotted that 3 D gown online recently too-its truly amazing, as is the process!

 

[Midge]

Small 3D printers are actually already commercially available, and they don't cost the world. But of course they work just for small objects - still it's fascinating to think what you could do with these!

Karin

 

[retro ruth]

Some geeky techy friends of mine are building 3D printers themselves. With the first one, they printed parts for further 3D printers.

Which kind of blows my mind.

 

[vintagedevotion]

I can barely wrap my mind around this concept. That gown on Dita is just amazing. Thanks for sharing!

 

[sarah-jane]

Ruth, can you say that again? But more slowly maybe?

 

[retro ruth]

I wish I could... I think they made a printer that could print a copy of itself? Or most of itself. But I'm not sure.

They tried to explain it to me, but at some point my brain quietly shut itself down to stop my synapses exploding.

 

[sewingmachinegirl]

 

[LizzyQ]

Whoa, that dress is amazing! How wonderful it would be to print out your own clothes at home (especially because I haven't got much talent for sewing).

 

[cmpollack]

Yes--amazing!

DH's research has used a 3D printer (to print out a computer program's self-generated design for a "robot"), but the printed objects were pretty small. That was maybe 8 or 9 years ago, when 3D printers were in their infancy. I can't believe how much they've evolved!

I just read a column yesterday about the potential applications to fashion (and other kinds of personal consumer) manufacture. I hope it doesn't come about in my lifetime--I don't think I could adapt!

 

[retro ruth]

Just thought I'd add a picture of the dress