THE FASHION
FUTURISTIC
FASHION
· U2 were superhero costumes
for their Pop Mart tour
Belgian designer Walter van Beirendonck, creator of the Wild &Lethal Trash (W<) label, grabbed the spotlight with his futuristic designs for U2’s Pop Mart tour. Van Beirendonck based the costumes on a muscle print which was personalized to fit each performer with a superhero theme. Bono became ‘Bonoman’, ‘Muscleman’ and ‘Fly 2000’ while guitarist The Edge was transformed into the ‘Electronic Cowboy’.
· Fashion show of the future
features interactive clothes
The British designers Adam Thorpe and Joe Hunter, behind the label Vexed Generation, use computer graphic programs for drawing patterns and textile designs. They have created a denim coated with neoprene usually used in wetsuits- which is resistant to oil, dirt and water. They have also developed a neoballistic nylon fabric which is resistant to fire, water and knife attacks.
· Fashion of the future is
brought to the big screen
Jean-Paul Gautier’s exotic style found perfect expression in the costume designs for Luc Benson’s film, The Fifth Element. Gaultier’s designs looked forward to a future of haute couture, and attracted almost as much attention as the film itself. Set in the 23rd century, the film featured Bruce Willis in a skin tight rubber T-shirt with an open back and supermodel Milla Jovovich, who played the Fifth Element, in a white ‘bandage’ dress, while Gary Old man, as the evil Zorg, sported a striped bodysuit and a multi-colored reflective dinner shirt. To add to the futuristic ambience, the film also featured an automated cupboard in a floating hotel which created clothes to fit the specific size of each guest.
SMART FASHION
· Chemical treatment creates
wool that doesn’t itch
Japanese clothing company kurabo Industries has devised a technique for making wool less scratchy. The fibers are chemically treated to break down their tight spiral structure. This exposes the soft inner fibers and allows individual strands to be stretched, resulting in a wool that is softer, lighter and able to retain its strength and water resistance.
· The smart clothes that could
be used as camouflage
Sarah Taylor, at the Scottish College of Textiles, is experimenting with weaving fiber-optic strands with translucent nylon to create fabrics which can transmit information and emit light. She has been approached by Britain’s Ministry of Defiance for whom intelligent clothing would be useful in the future as camouflage, being able to adapt to different environments. Taylor is aiming to produce a safe material for wall hangings and club wear which shines and even gives off sparks.
