Stratasys 3D Printed Fashion Collection Debuts at Milan Design Week

Last month, Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) launched the latest version of its J850 PolyJet system—the J850 TechStyle 3D printer—for 3D printing textiles, footwear, clothing, and accessories. Now, attendees of Milan Design Week 2022 are getting the chance this week to see just what the printer is capable of creating, as the company is debuting its SSYS 2Y22 Reflection Collection at the show, which has a theme of “Between Space and Time.”

Powered by its 3DFashion technology, which enables full-color, direct-to-textile printing, the Stratasys J850 TechStyle makes it possible to adhere inkjet polymer over various types of textiles to manufacture luxury fashion and accessories and haute couture. Using 3D printing to create garments opens up all sorts of creative applications for fashion designers, which Stratasys knows more than most.

“From decorative craft to creative engineering comes this hybrid machine from Stratasys, as an answer to a million prayers, allowing the ascension of embellishment for an inclusive following,” said renowned trend forecaster and fashion specialist Lidewij Edelkoort.

According to Naomi Kaempfer, Art, Design and Fashion Director for Stratasys, the Reflection Collection uses fashion and design pieces to bring the impact of the last two years’ changes around the world to life. She explained that the collection is focused on three main pillars, the first of which is personal space and the “intertwining” of a person’s public and personal spaces. This pillar is shown through fashion design that is a reflection of emotion, intimacy, and vulnerability, and soft, comfortable clothing and pieces we wear at home.

If we’ve learned anything since the beginning of the pandemic, it’s the importance of social inclusion—the next pillar in the collection, which is described by Stratasys as “a celebration of our shared humanity” and shows our increasing sensitivity towards social injustices like ethnicity, equality, and gender, as well as inclusion and community building. The third pillar in Reflection is mindful manufacturing, and being more intentional about reducing waste, respecting the planet, and creating products and designs that last for many years.

The Stratasys-curated collection features exclusive 3D printed bespoke accessories, luxury goods and packaging, footwear, high-end garments, including daywear and dresses, and more, which, according to the company, “reflect on the social impact of the recent past.” Stratasys collaborated with seven different design groups to create the SSYS 2Y22 Reflection Collection.

“Our partnerships with designers and fashion houses have allowed us to bring to the world an innovative collection created using 3D printing technology,” said Shamir Shoham, Vice President of Design for Stratasys. “We believe that 3D printing is the future of innovation in fashion and design and that it will open up unlimited possibilities for fashion designers and manufacturers to personalize and customize 3D-printed fabric pieces.”

The first collaboration for the collection is prolific designer Karim Rashid, who has won 400 awards, operates in more than 35 countries, and has over 4,000 designs in production. All of his pieces reflect geometry and art graphics, and Rashid’s line of luxury dresses and handbags are fashionable for both elegant and casual occasions.

Multidisciplinary design lab FORÆVA, co-founded by architect Vlad Tenu and fashion designer Lana Dumitru, delivers cross-cultural digital embroidery in its “classic ethnic Romanian designs for modern day living.” The 3D printed pieces, while bringing wearers closer to this culture, also reveal a hidden meaning when someone looks at one up close.

Award-winning fashion studio Jasna Rok Lab focuses on the physiology of feelings in its work, which combines fashion and technology. To make the Trypophilia Collection, Jasna Rokegem worked with designer and previous Stratasys collaborator Travis Fitch to translate EQ to 3D algorithmic structures using CLOD3D and Rhino software. The pieces reflect both the language and physical location of emotions like anger, fear, happiness, and sadness.

Genderfluid fashion label KAIMIN, which is active in the LGBTQIA+ community and has worked with icons like Lady Gaga and Björk, also collaborated with Fitch to design three new pieces for the Stratasys collection. The dress, jacket, and body suit reflect inclusivity, and are inspired by the urban architecture of New York.

Fashion designer and smart textile researcher Ganit Goldstein, who specializes in 3D printed fashion, also worked with Stratasys on the Reflection collection. Her GnoMon collection was inspired by the textures found in all four seasons of nature, such as spring flowers and autumn leaves, and in her jacket designs, you can see how she’s mimicked the way that natural light plays with the elements. Additionally, Stratasys explains that Goldstein’s collection reexamines what makes up a trend, and “represents a novel approach to textile customization.”

Co-created by Jiani Zeng and Honghao Deng, the Illusory Material design studio focuses on optics and software research. Their focus is on lenticular effects, which is seen in the studio’s 3D printed refillable perfume bottle design, which Stratasys calls “the first of its kind.”

Finally, Assa Studio has been using 3D printing for more than ten years, and founder Assa Ashuach created multiple designs for the Stratasys collection, including the 3D printed Evolve shoe with a personalized midsole sensor; the footwear, currently on exhibit at the Museum of the Future in Dubai, studies the person wearing it and records their movement data. Another piece is a customizable clutch, inspired by Origam, that’s 3D printed on Dinamicamiko plant-based leather.

The rest of the SSYS 2Y22 Reflection Collection will be on display at booth 7 in the SuperStudio Piu during Milan Design Week, which ends June 12th.