TREND TALK : TECH MEETS THREAD

By Joanne Joseph, Contributor

It's no secret that tech is plays a huge role in fashion. We recently featured DVF's collaboration with Google Glasses. In our search for #CertifiedCOOL tech style, we discovered the work of two game-changing artists. Amy Winters and Ying Gao are among the latest fashion innovators exploring the possibilities of tech and thread. 

In her latest work, Winters uses color and pattern that reacts to sound, movement, natural light and water. The London-based artist's designs have become an interactive wearable-art experience. Her Sound Reactive Dress detects volume levels and responds by producing markings that resemble lighting. There's even a motion-sensitive morph dress that is triggered by human movements. She also invented a dress that you wouldn't mind getting caught in the rain with. The Orange Butterfly dress, changes color once it comes in contact with water. 

Winter's touch-activated, fiber-optic dress was recently on display at the Consumers

Electronics Show earlier this year. “If you feel like having purple, the dress will be purple,” she explained. “If you later feel like having red, you have red. You just look at the sleeve and

decide what color you want.” Her work has been featured in magazines including Marie Claire Spain, Stylist, XO and Travel and Leisure Southeast Asia. Her pieces have also made their way to the list of CNBC's Future Fashion list of 10 Wearable Tech Trends to Watch.

Another innovator leaving their mark in the tech meets fashion revolution is Ying Gao. The artist's work includes a piece that moves on sight called (No) where (Now) here. It is embedded with eye-tracking technology fibers that move as the eye comes in contact with the garment, expressing a relationship between the onlooker and the article of clothing.

As a fashion designer and a professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal, Ying was inspired by the architecture of Beijing and its urbanization. She researched the relationships between individuals, their cities and their environments. This influenced her 2008 project titled Living Pod, in which light sensors are installed throughout the garment, causing the dresses to react to light. Ying's interactive and unconventional pieces have been featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Azure and Time Magazine and continue to be on display in various museums including the Quebec Museum of Fine Arts in Canada.

Living Pod Coat

THE SHOPPING BAG

Fashion finds inspired by tech trends

Check out more COOL here.

FASHION FILES: ZAHA HADID for UNITED NUDE

Zaha Hadid and Rem d Koolhaas of United nude are delighted to announce the new limited edition haute couture shoe designed by Zaha Hadid will be launched at the iconic store L’eclaireur, 40 rue de Sévigné, Paris, on July 2nd 2013.

Zaha Hadid and United nude’s Creative director Rem d Koolhaas have been talking about shoes since they first met years ago. Hadid, an architect with a passion for shoes, and Rem D, the original shoe architect, agreed to collaborate on the design of a shoe with no pre-conceptions and ignore all the rules to create an entirely new form of shoe.

the result is quintessentially hadid. the revolutionary design of the NOVA shoe combines innovative materialization and ergonomic considerations with the dynamism of hadid’s unmistakable architectural language to convey an inherent sense of movement; revealing the experimentation and invention of Hadid’s process through every stage of design and construction.

“United Nude’s collections are provocative yet sensual. Rem D Koolhaas’ unrelenting experimentation at the cutting edge of fashion never fails to capture our imagination.” explains Hadid. “I have always appreciated those who dare to experiment with materials and proportions. Our collaboration with United Nude reinterprets the classic shoe typology; pushing the boundaries of what is possible without compromising integrity.”

The NOVA design incorporates intricate striations juxtaposed with dramatic realignments, establishing a direct formal relationship with the shoe’s primary structure and expressing the dynamic forces applied by every step of the wearer.

Guided by her 30 years of experience working with complex structural principles on all scale levels, Hadid has developed an innovative cantilevered system that allows the staggering 16cm (6.25 in) heel to appear completely unsupported.

The rhythmic, articulated transformation of the shoe’s composition encapsulates the seamless integration of materials, inventive engineering and highest standards of comfort. As Hadid’s most recent expression of this symbiotic association, the NOVA shoe design transcends the disciplines of fashion and architecture.

“Zaha consistently reinvents the program with her own ideas and interpretations. Her visionary creations are often unexpected, yet reinforce their origins,” says Koolhaas. “I could not resist the challenge to work with Zaha. We gave ourselves the greatest degree of experimentation and used the latest digital design and manufacturing technologies to create one of the most innovative shoes ever produced.”

United nude’s advanced shoe engineering and hadid’s remarkable design have combined in a most revolutionary shoe, for which an entirely new way of shoe making was invented. Techniques such as injection- and rotation molding, as well as hand-molded methods, such as vacuum casting, were combined. In fact, the NOVA is among the first shoes in history to employ rotation molding, which is the only molding technique that allows for such a smooth and seamless result.

The upper of the shoe combines metallic chromed vinyl rubber and is lined with the highest quality Italian kid nappa leathers. The hidden platform and heel are composed of fiberglass and the outsole is made of rubber. The shoe, in sizes 35 to 40, will come as numbered limited editions of 100 per color and will be available only at very select stores such as L’eclaireur in Paris and both the Zaha hadid design and United Nude webshops.

Content Source: UnitedNude

#CertifiedCOOL

LONDON FASHION WEEK: ASHISH GUPTA

Ashish Gupta is a fashion designer, based in London and designing under the label 'Ashish'. Born in Delhi, Gupta studied Fine Art in his native India before moving to Middlesex to complete a BA in Fashion Design. After completing his MA at Central Saint Martins in 2000, Gupta ventured to Paris with the intention of working in a design studio in the French capital. However, when his entire portfolio of work was stolen, Gupta instead began quietly making clothes for friends until being spotted by Yeda Yun of Browns Focus, who placed his first order in 2001. With his mix of Western and Eastern influences, Gupta's designs blend sportswear, high-octane glamour and craftsmanship. Gupta has designed outfits for a number of high profile personalities, including M.I.A, Madonna, Jerry Hall, Victoria Beckham, Kelly Osborne, Lily Allen and Patrick Wolf. Since his first show at London Fashion Week in 2004, Gupta has won the New Generation Award three times. Gupta recently collaborated with Topshop to produce an 'Ashish for Topshop' capsule range. His mainline collection is stocked in Selfridges and Browns Focus and can also be found in Italy, USA, Russia, Dubai and Kuwait.

Signature: Sequins, glamour, sportswear 

Umm yes please!

ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH : TUESDAY 12/3 DAY ONE

Our favorite time of year is unarguably Art Basel season right here in Miami. The week is filled with cool events and exhibitions that remind us so much of the time Terrance and I spent courting each other while in art school. We also love all the surprises and randomness we discover throughout the week. 

This year we started out early. On Monday we browsed through opening of the The Wynwood Art Building before heading out to a friend's private "Basel Bash." Tuesday was really the start of exhibition hopping and what we consider 'Day One.' We started at the Context/Art Miami tents in Wynwood and then headed to Project Miami and Red Dot.
We'll be going to back to the Wynwood tents on Friday and Saturday to spend more time browsing and favoring, but here are a few snaps from our drive by.

Look up and you might see the floating lady.

Not to be missed is Miami Project's pop-up shop that features artist-made merch available during basel only. Prices for the items range from $10-$500. This reminds us of the time when Bansky sold priceless prints on the streets of New York for $60. 

That said, we recommend you stop by and pick something up.

Next stop was the Colette Art Drive By pop-up shop at the Alchemist in the 1111 Lincoln building and the Ferarri Piston Head Exhibition. The Colette shop, on the 7th floor, explored a new shopping experience where users browsed the merch on a wall, ordered at a kiosk and picked up at the check out station. The hottest show in town was the Ferarri event on the top floors. A-listers examined Enzo's and car sculptures while sipping on Veuve in the gorgeous Herzog & Meuron designed building. 

We capped off the evening on sand at Scope Art Fair. The 'drive-by' theme continued as we quickly browsed through amazing galleries, including Ken Borochov's MORDEKAI. We'll be returning to Scope throughout the week to give the show the time it deserves. 
(sigh) So much to do…

Check back during the week and after for more Basel bites!

His work has been seen on Nikki Minaj, Cher, Lady Gaga and many more.