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June 2016
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Smart Fashion
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Blooming Lady is a smart dress which can display the social intention of the wearer.
When the dress is open, it means the wearer is welcome to communicate with others. On the contrary, if the dress is closed, it means the wearer want to stay alone.
Story Board
You want to look cool? But you might have some trouble.
Sometimes people are eager to communicate with others, but they are too shy to take the first step or fear the embarrassment of rejection.
Sometimes people are focusing on their own stuff and don’t want to be disturbed. They don’t want to refuse others or push them away which seems impolite and inconsiderate.
People who looks formidable might not be angry, people who looks delightful might not be free to chat with you. We would like to wear mask nowadays. Why not show your real feeling via clothes to reduce the social embarrassment?
Design Concept
sketch book
Every woman is a flower, she can protect herself with her petals. I observed the shape and movement of petals in nature, imitating them in my work.
Process
Fabric Selection
Dahongmen Commercial Area, Lace, Space cotton, Silk-like fabric
Arduino Assembly
Tools, Adhere the stick to servo motor, Debug with Arduino Leonardo
Arduino Lilypad, Adhere the servo motor to corset, Connect Lilypad, Lilypad on the corset
Tailoring
Wearers can control the skirt by turning on and off the switch.
Design Challenge
Challenge 1: The servo can’t be fixed on the moving body
If you stick the servo to a solid object, it would work well. But human body is not as solid as wood or plastic object. The servo will rotate in the opposite direction, which would hurt the wearer.
Solution: I used a corset as the support of the servo, and sewed the clothe on it.
Challenge 2: The servo can’t support the weight of the clothe
so when the support bar rises, it’s not able to raise the whole skirt and would unveil its skeleton, which will affect visual effect.
Solution: I added iron wires so that the “flower” is able to open as widely as possible.
Challenge 3: Lilypad is still not so friendly to human body
Lilypad seems suitable for Smart Fashion when sewing it up in thick coat. But when it comes to summer wear, it may result comfortableness to wearers. On one hand, it would become hotter as the servos work, which might scald wearers. On the other hand, if we don’t hide it carefully, its light would attract audience’s attention.
Solution: I added a belt to attract visual attention.
Fashion Show
Thank the model, Duo Zhang, for her generous help; my instructor Yingchun Zang for her kind suggestions; my friend Nanen Lee, and all of the people who helped me.
