Apr. 5, 2015 | By Kira
This weekend, fashion meets culture meets 3D printing technology, as Not Just a Label revealed Bint Thani’s awe-inspiring, 3D printed dress at the first ever ‘Meet D3,’ an art and fashion showcase hosted by Dubai Design District.
Khulood Thani, the designer behind Emirati line Bint Thani and one of Dubai’s most esteemed designers, collaborated over a period of nine months with architect Amer Aldour of INTER | ACT in order to come up with the experimental project, known as “Urban Corp.” The design of the dress was inspired by the city of Dubai itself, which the designer describes as a “challenging city…converting many hectares of desert to modern architecture.” Although the design process was completely experimental, and at times very difficult to undertake, her ultimate goal was to create a piece that was both innovative and wearable, while still representing her homeland.
“We searched all the different executed dresses in 3D printing, so we ensure that we are having something completely different and unique to express it as a ‘Dubai Design’. Then the challenge was to concert the piece to be more wearable rather than an art piece, where functionality plays a very important role,” said Thani.
The Thani and Aldour worked together to create a 3D model of the cubic, architectural concept, which was inspired by Dubai’s modern cityscape and high-rises. The next challenge was to make the dress more flexible and adaptable to the wearer’s body. This was achieved by reworking the pattern of the dress and creating 3D printed networks that run underneath.
The result is a fashion-forward, cream-coloured cocktail dress with enticing cutouts and distinct, cubic structures covering the shoulders and bodice. Thani herself has admitted to being a fan of “bold movements” in art history, such as surrealism, and her unique vision comes across very clearly in the design.
This isn’t the first time she has combined her passions for her cultural heritage, fashion, and creative experimentation. In one of her latest projects, ‘Between Dunes,’ she used biodegradable camel leather to create unconventional accessories and designed a laser-cut golden organza dress that mimicked the shape of the desert dunes. “For me, this went beyond a fashion piece,” said the Thani. “It was communicating my own culture.”
Thani is the first UAE national to study Fashion Management and Marketing at the prestigious fashion school ESMOD in Paris. Since then, she has worked diligently in the fashion and business industries, becoming one of Dubai’s hottest and most esteemed designers. She launched her Bint Thani label in 2011 and is dedicated to representing her cultural heritage through breathtaking and innovative fashion designs.
Designer Khulood Thani
Not Just a Label (NJAL) showcased Thani’s project, which is also Dubai’s first-ever 3D printed dress, this weekend at ‘Meet D3,’ a much-anticipated public community event hosted by Dubai Design District that will present a program of fashion, music, art, design and dining. NJAL is known for showcasing designers and emerging talent in the contemporary industry and encouraging them to produce fashion that is sustainable, and that supports local communities and craftsmanship.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
Maybe you also like:
- Hong Kong researchers use 3D printing to develop surgical breakthrough for orbital eye operations
- Designer Othman Khunji develops Prayary: a 3D printed Islamic prayer mat that adds incentive to prayer
- Learn about aerodynamics and have fun in the water with Tinkerine's 3D printed RC airboat
- Designer Maria Eife's bold and playful 3D printed jewelry now available online
- New Me Ducer 3D printer offers plug n' play 3D printing for less than $500
- Rescued pet tortoise gets new lease on life with 3D printed shell
- USAID relies on 3D printed weather stations to save lives in third world countries
3Ders.org provides the latest news about 3D printing technology and 3D printers. We are now seven years old and have around 1.5 million unique visitors per month.
