futurefashion
Geek Chic
Myles Cummings looks at what impact futuristic fabrics and wearable
technologies are having on the future of street fas!
an average UK bloke my fashion sense is based on that
which does not itch, and | firmly believe that the shopping
igene is the predominant distinguishing characteristic
between the sexes. Fashions change with alarming frequency, so |
often find myself waiting outside the changing rooms in Selfridges,
along with half a dozen other blokes, waiting to offer our expert
‘opinions to our respective partners when they emerge resplenclent in
a new outfit. There is of course only one answer to ‘Does my bum
look big in this? but somehow | always seem to get it wrong, andl a
week or so later am required to lend ‘moral support for the return
trip and the well rehearsed ritual of getting a refund’ and "finding
something else that fis
But the above scenario may well be about to go the way of flares
and cravats with the development by a British company of a ‘smart
changing room that tells clothes shoppers ‘what not to wear. QinetiQ,
formerly the Defence Evaluation Research Agency, developed the sys-
tem as a spin off from work on weapon range finders and is now talk-
ing with leading clothes eetailers. The system uses 3D digital cameras,
\hich takes pictures and also records precise measurements from
‘more than 1,000 points on an object, Installed in a changing room,
an array of about six cameras will feed data to a computer running
software that matches particular styles to individual body shapes. The
‘computer then adopts the role of cyber style guru, advising which
Jn
clothes suit a persons body and which are unflattering: a sort of vitu:
al version of Trinny and Susannah although, in this case, you could
choose to ignore the advice on offer!
“The system could also become the front end user interface for 2
bespoke computer controlled tailoring operation. The same data of
body measurements generated by the 3D cameras could be down-
loaded to a CAD/CAM garment prototyping system either on or off
site, Recent developments in this area are led, unsurprisingly perhaps,
by the French, Bordeauxcbased Lectra specialise in apparel and fash
ion tailoring software and CAD/CAM garment manufacturing solu
tions, Machines like the recently developed Versalis and Contour
template and prototype cutters, offer a full range of cutting systems
‘capable of handling just a single unit or a small run production. Run
in conjunction with the company’s proprietary design online manage
‘ment software the results are a dramatic reduction in the time need-
‘ed to turn a designer's sketch into a wearable garment. Whereas it
Used to take six weeks to create the prototype of a ladys dress, now it
can be done in just three hours.
(On the other side of the Atlantic however computers arent just
being used to design and create garments more efficiently and eco-
rnomicaly, The computer isthe garment: Massachusets Institute of
Technology (MIT) has a whole department devoted to "wearable"
technology: One of its most recent garments isthe Puddlejumper
rsa
32 newdesign issuetwentyjacket; a luminescent yellow-hooded jacket. Painted on its surface are
Several electro luminescent lamps wired to interior electronics. Water
Sensors are placed on the jacket’s back and left sleeve, When it rains,
the lamps light up, creating a flickering pattern that mirrors the pitter
patter of rain. Other examples
include Megan Galbraiths cross
futurefashion
increased dramatically, whist at the same time circuit boards and
CPUs and have become smaller and lighter, to the point where the
componentry can be sewn into the lining of a waistcoat. Add voice
activated software and a lightweight eyepiece monitor and you can
sip on the equivalent of a state
of-the-art desktop or notebook.
Whilst it may not quite cut it on the catwalk
yet, this kind of lightweight supercomputing
coat is useful in occupations requiring both
mobility, combined with information technology
between a clock and frock. ‘Eroy Whist it may not quite cut it on
isconstructed out of a Panasonic the catwalk yet, this kind of
ELelement, a Rabbit2000 micro: lightweight supercomputing coat
processor, polyester fabric, and a is particularly useful in hi-tech
prototype boards borrowed from ‘occupations requiring both
anather MIT project. The result isan illuminating dress that encodes mobility, combined with information technol
or example
time information with panels which periodically rearrange their illumi-_ Xybernaut have already been conducting trials of their Mobile
nated pattern to express time to the wearer. Assistant V (MA V), with aircraft maintenance technicians at Fed EX
Commercial developers like Xybemnaut have be
developing Aircraft maintenance is done in a time window that is short and high:
Wearable computers since the early nineties albeit with a slightly more ly scheduled. The incorporation of wearable wireless technology
prosaic approach. Essentially computer processing power has enables the technician to access and update key information, receive
newdesign | issuetwenty (33futurefashion
‘maintenance alerts and communicate with other technicians for on-
the-fly troubleshooting. This means a reduction in time spent away
from the aircraft where the technician is performing maintenance,
and an improvement in the bottom line by cutting the costs of main-
taining, repairing and inspecting planes,
Not surprisingly the military too are also very interested in kitting
‘out their personnel in this kind of cyber uniform, and are also expert-
‘menting with some interesting new clothing types. One development
involves clothes which can change their thickness and therefore ther-
mal properties according to the outside temperature. Another splash-
ces medicines onto a wound when a bullet hits a soldier. Research is
also continuing into optical fibres woven into the clothes. When
soldier is injured, the fibres are broken and information about the
‘wound location can be relayed to field medics, who can use the
information to prioritise casualties. Other sensors could be used to
monitor blood loss, pulse etc. Micto-encapsulation allowing millions
Cf microcapsules can also be built into clothing and allow camouflage
to adapt dynamically to the surroundings, changing the colour and
pattern of the clothes. Such effects can be achieved in a variety of
\ways, by flattening or stretching capsules to change their colour char-
acteristics, or using electrical charge or physical pressure. But today’s
high tech camouflage technology may eventually become street fash-
jon, with kaleidoscopic clothing,
But so far the results of these technological advance have yet to
permeate through to the Migh Street and it seems we may still have a
hile to wait for this kind of apparel to become ‘de rigueur. Smart
clothing has s0 far failed to make an impact because its incredibly
expensive to produce and not yet that comfortable to wear. collab-
oration between Levi Strauss and Philips Electronics saw the introduc-
tion of the first wearable electronics garment to consumers in the
summer of 2000, The ICD+ jacket incorporated a mobile phone,
collar microphone, headphones and an MP3 player all connected by
sewn-in specially designed cables. Only 600 jackets where produced
and although they all sold there are currently no plans to mass-pro-
duce, (The £800 price tag may have been a deterrent to your average
34 newdesign | issuetwenty
"Top Man’ shopper) and there were some returns because of technical
problems. Snowboard giant Burton has also collaborated with Apple
‘on a jacket that allows riders to blast their favourite music while
simultaneously racing down the slopes.
But these examples are essentially ‘parka’ style jackets with elabar
rate pockets. It seems that futuristic fabrics may be making more
commercial headway than electronic gizmos garb. Several Internet
Companies sell dresses, shirts, caps, bras and boxer shorts impregra
ced with metals that reportedly keep out the high-frequency electro
‘magnetic radiation some people believe causes cancer, The micto=
encapsulation, mentioned earlier in a military capacity also has more
tranquil uses; capsules containing substances such as essential oil o¢
deodorants are suspended between the fibres ofa fabric. Uncenneat