Everyone expects technology to improve gadgets, appliances, and computer programs. However, brilliant minds may sometimes apply tech to things you least expect. Case in point, Adobe created a dress that changes designs in seconds. Watching it on the runway is a mesmerizing experience as it shifts and shimmers in real time!
The tech company says the digitally enhanced dress has surprising use cases. For example, it may reduce waste by removing the need to buy new clothes frequently. Instead, you may change the designs and colors depending on your tastes. As a result, it could breed creativity while promoting sustainability.
What is Adobe Primrose?
Adobe Primrose is a dress with laser-cut polymer dispersed liquid crystal “petals” that change patterns several times per second. Each petal has a flexible printed circuit board that lets them alternate shades of silver and ivory.
The company says the couture didn’t only showcase cutting-edge technology. It inspired designers, brands, and artists due to its innovation and sustainability.Â
Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) says it is the latest project of research scientist Christine Dierk. It took five years to make, but she unveiled her masterpiece at Adobe’s yearly Max conference in Los Angeles last year.Â
“I’ve been joking that I’ve finally finished my internship project,” Dierk told WWD. “When I started as an intern in 2019, I was tasked with making the dress in a single summer.”
“Obviously, it took me a little longer than that,” she added. She worked with Adobe engineer TJ Rhodes for Project Primrose, and their prototype was a handbag.
“The electronics allow us to tile the petals onto any surface,” Dierk stated. “So it could be a handbag, it could be a wall, it could even be furniture with these display elements integrated in different ways.”
Rhodes admitted he hadn’t sewn anything until he collaborated with Dierk. Nevertheless, they created a stunning dress with groundbreaking tech.
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“As soon as you want progress, it’s really technology that’s driving it, and that doesn’t mean it has to be something digital or electronic,” Rhodes said.Â
“If you want to see innovation in the fashion space, we need to apply technology to it. Technology makes things easier, makes things more practical, and hopefully, it could help make the fashion industry more sustainable.”
The researchers say this technology could make fashion more sustainable than ever. Instead of buying the latest designs, people may customize their clothes with new digital designs.
Other ways tech is changing fashion
Blockchain and cryptocurrencies were popular years ago. They may have fallen out of style, but many continue to develop real-life applications.Â
Kandama CEO Victor Baguilat is one of those who applied blockchain tech to fashion. Specifically, he created non-fungible tokens to promote Ifugao weaves worldwide.
NFTs record the ownership of physical and digital goods on blockchain networks. They provide unique value to objects despite numerous copies available.Â
Many can have the same designs, but each owner will have different NFTs. Baguilat said in an online forum, “There were three other brands that just launched their NFT collection.”
“When I heard that some brands that are familiar to me started doing NFTs, that’s when I realized that maybe that’s really the right direction.”
That was why he partnered with Filipino-led blockchain firm Tetrix to create the digital counterparts of the indigenous fashion pieces.
For example, the one worn by Miss Universe 2015, Pia Wurtzbach, during the Paris Fashion Week will have a Kandama NFT.Â
The other weaves from other global fashion events will also have NFT twins. Baguilat explained, “Innovation is key to preservation.”
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“The other important thing we’re looking at is ensuring that ethical credentials will be easily ascertained by our customers.”Â
“It can guarantee our products’ authenticity and prove to our customers that we are truly a sustainable cultural and social enterprise. Web3 is the future of indigenous weaves.”
Learn more about the Kandama project in my other article. Also, check the latest digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.