Feb 27, 2016 | By Tess
While 3D printing may often seen like a technology of the future, helping to innovate in new areas of science and design, some artists and designers have used the technology to connect us back to something in our pasts, whether it be an old manufacturing technique, such as casting, or a pre-technology design motif, such as nature. Today, we will look at the stunning bridal accessories of designer and maker Kasia Wisniewski, who has expertly combined 3D printing with craftsmanship to bring her nature-inspired creations to life.
Wisniewski, who has found success with her Etsy Shop, Collected Edition, is a Brooklyn, NY based designer who previously worked in the bridal fashion industry under such illustrious names as Vera Wang and J. Mendel. Wanting to launch her own brand that focused more on accessories, Wisniewski was instinctively drawn to 3D printing as a way to design and create her unique pieces.
As she explains, “I have a really strong background in construction and making dresses, but I always had this impulse to make jewelry, too…My husband actually designed and 3D-printed my engagement ring; he suggested that I take another look at 3D printing to make my headpiece. I had tried to play with 3D printing a few times over the preceding years, but it never really quite clicked. For the wedding I just had to buckle down – I had a time frame! That’s when I made the first iteration of my broken arrow headpiece. I really loved the process, and I got addicted.”
3D printing has offered Wisniewski a way to express her own design style, which has consistently centred on elements of nature, such as twigs, leaves, and most predominantly, flowers. The combination of cutting edge technology and nature inspired designs presents an interesting juxtaposition that Wisniewski herself relishes.
“I think there’s something really interesting and compelling about using digital technology to mirror nature,” says the designer. “It’s really easy to make something on the computer that’s perfect; it’s a much more interesting challenge to capture what makes flowers so beautiful, which is their imperfections. Like the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi.”
The process behind Wisniewski’s pieces begins with a simple hand drawn sketch, which are sometimes even based off of real flowers she’ll have sitting in front of her. Once the sketches are done, and she has properly conceptualized the piece she wants to make, Wisniewski begins the 3D modeling process, making each element of her accessory individually and gradually connected them with leaves and stems to create a composition.
From there, the designer explains that she will usually 3D print a nylon sample of her work, either at home or through a 3D printing service, to see how the details come out. Once the design is satisfactory to her, she will go back to the 3D modeling program and add in whatever additions the accessory needs, such as combs or bindings. For many of the final pieces, she will then 3D print the final model in wax and cast the pieces in metal using a lost-wax method, though some pieces are available on her Etsy store in the 3D printed nylon.
Wisniewski, who describes her work as “unapologetically feminine”, has been drawn to the bridal fashion industry because of its emotional significance in people’s lives. As she says of bridal gowns, “For most people, it’s the garment that they’ll remember the most in their entire lifetime; their kids will know what it looks like, their grandkids will know what it looks like, and it’s something that’s really treasured.” Her turn towards bridal accessories has also kept up this idea of emotional significance, as she is creating timeless pieces that she hopes will be passed down from generation to generation.
Wisniewski is also hoping to be an inspiration for women to get more involved in the 3D printing world, which continues to be a male dominated field, especially by making traditionally feminine pieces using the technology.
Whether you have a wedding come up or not, be sure to check out Wisniewski’s stunning, and inspirational bridal and assorted accessories here.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Hi Can you please share project codes for printing this amazing flowers etc...? Regards
Stella Sutton wrote at 2/28/2016 12:06:24 AM:
Just lovely.
Stella Sutton wrote at 2/28/2016 12:05:08 AM:
It's just amazing what progress has been made in 3D printing. These bridal hair decorations are beautiful.