SOURCING at MAGIC’s Fashion Trade Show Will Now Feature 3D Printing

For the first time, the world’s most extensive fashion sourcing event will feature 3D printing among its conference series. SOURCING at MAGIC is a 4-day mega trade show held twice a year in Las Vegas, USA. This year’s second SOURCING at MAGIC’s event will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from August 17-20, 2014. SOURCING at MAGIC has brought, for nine years, more than 800 companies from a wide range of industries such as accessories, footwear, jewelry, lingerie, apparel, bedroom textiles, carpets and rugs, and many others. Factories from more than 40 countries are to attend the event to appeal brands and designers.

The forum is renowned for presenting the fashion industry’s new trends and innovations, the most sought after technologies, and Hollywood costume designers. It is a huge show geared to large companies and attendants who have the opportunity to see a lot of what’s going on within the industry. Among its more than 50 seminars, led by more than 70 executive-level speakers, the event will only include one session on 3D printing – on August 18, 2014 at 11:15 AM – titled “How 3D Printing Is Redefining Design and Manufacturing”:

“Leading shoe, apparel and jewelry designers are now using 3D printing to prototype design in order to save production and time to market costs,” states the session description. “Learn from leading designers and brands how 3D printing helps them maintain and grow their bottom line. An in-depth look at what 3D design & innovation can do for retailers and brands”.

Panelists include Natacha Alpert, 3D conceptualist at Miras3d, Bryan Oknyanky, London-based 3D shoe designer, and Wendy Bendoni, Professor of Fashion Marketing at Woodbury University.

Natacha Alpert has been in the footwear industry for the past 14 years working creatively with iconic brands including Nine West, Timberland, Reebok and Dr. Marten’s. Focusing on 3D printing in fashion, Natacha founded Miras3d, a consulting company that links and connects iconic brands with a vision to create innovative products to leaders in the 3D printing industry.

Bryan Oknyanky is a 3D shoe designer that retails under the name “Shoes by Bryan”. Last year, he designed the “Split Heels”, the world’s first eco-friendly, customizable and wearable 3D printed high heels, and presented them at the 3D Print Show in London. At the beginning of this year, Bryan Oknyanky released a new set of shoes 3D printed in metal, the “Heavy Metal Series,” for the Muuse and Vogue Talents competition.

Image courtesy of Bryan Oknyansky

Wendy Bendoni, Professor of Fashion Marketing at Woodbury University, has been an established International trend forecaster for the past 20 years. Clients ranging from Nordstrom, JCPenney, OP, BCBG, Levi’s, C & A, Target, Honda, Stila Cosmetics, Victoria Secrets and Guess. Last February, SOURCING at MAGIC partnered with Wendy Bendoni and Woodbury University’s Fashion Marketing Department to research consumer behavior and its influence on textiles.  Additionally, a 3D printed display of high-end goods created with this technology will be exhibited for three days during the event.

3D printing is hitting the fashion industry. After Iris van Herpen, pioneered 3D printed fashion, many other worldwide designers have embarked themselves on the adventure. Examples include South African designer Michaella Janse van Vuuren, British designer Catherine Wales and Brazilian designer Pedro Lourenço. Brands including Nike, Adidas and Victoria Secret are also well known for having used this technology. The presence of 3D printing in this event is the evidence that something is changing. The advent of this technology and extreme customization is definitively impacting fashion.

Will you be attending this event?  What are your thoughts on the changing world of fashion, and its adoption of 3D printing as a methodology?  Discuss in the SOURCING at MAGIC forum thread on 3DPB.com.

[Source: Sourcing at Magic]