Nov 25, 2017 | By Julia

As more and more fashion designers turn to 3D printing as an innovative, cost-effective method for producing state-of-the-art creations, an Israeli maker is keen to show that less is more. Meet Eden Saadon, the Haifa-born textile designer who’s pioneering new possibilities for creating with a 3D printing pen. Once the tool of amateur at-home crafters, 3D printing pens such as the 3Doodler (Saadon’s instrument of choice) are now being elevated to the high-fashion realm, providing designers of all backgrounds a new way to think—or draw—outside the box.

3DLace, Saadon’s lingerie collection which recently secured her a finalist position in New York Textile Month’s Dorothy Waxman competition, is one such example of how a simple 3D drawing tool can be re-spun to do great things. Taking aesthetic cues from ancient civilizations, 3DLace presents delicate yet volumetric lace designs that detail beautiful flora and fauna imagery. The breath-taking seven-piece collection, which ranges from luxurious nightgowns to barely-there negligees, was inspired by the tapestry drawings of William Morris, the architecture of Frank Gehry, the paper and bamboo sculptures of Ai Weiwei, and the body sketches of Oskar Schlemmer, Saadon says.

Yet while the lingerie pieces are awe-inspiring in and of themselves, the real surprise is in Saadon’s technique. All seven garments in the collection are made from Flexy, a 3Doodler-brand flexible plastic that, when fused into a thread, can be used to draw and construct different elements. “What is fabric, after all, but cloth made of threads?” Saadon asks poignantly. She certainly has a point: despite being made singularly of plastic, the garments in Saadon’s 3DLace collection are so light and delicate that they are eminently wearable, and immediately read as haute couture.

But that doesn’t mean Saardon’s work wasn’t met with criticism along the way. Discovered during Saardon’s final year at the Shenkar College of Engineering, Design, and Art in Tel-Aviv, the 3D printing pen shocked her textile instructors. The designer notes that her faculty was rather disbelieving when they saw Saardon’s rudimentary tool, but her creations spoke for themselves: no one could ignore the incredible potential in how Saardon re-imagined the 3Doodler.

The recent graduate admits that it took some time to master the craft, and actually create fully-fledged fabrics from a 3D printing pen. Saardon was intent on showcasing the wearer’s body with her fabric, which she felt was the best way to test her unique creations. She began with brassieres, drawing cups and straps to see if they could stay together and feel comfortable. “It’s kind of a philosophical question,” she says. “Can a photo of a bra be a bra?”

By the time Saardon graduated and began working in the industry, she was working directly on the mannequin, constructing elaborate patterns and interconnections between each piece of the plastic fabric. Eventually, she was able to create delicate, spiderweb-like fabrics which were then heat pressed onto pieces of tulle and mesh fabrics.

The momentum is certainly building for Saardon’s 3D drawn lace designs. But even as word spreads, the Israeli designer remains focused on her work. For now, Saardon has returned to work in her home studio, where she spends 10 hours a day drawing out different ideas based on her textiles. It’s a painstaking process: while small pieces can be created in just 15 minutes, a full dress requires several days of work.

In the future, we can expect accessories and shoe designs to accompany Saardon’s signature lingerie. “I do not know where it will go,” Saadon says of working with her 3D printing pen, “but it’s fun that there are a thousand options.”

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Application

 

 

Maybe you also like:


   






Leave a comment:

Your Name:

 


Subscribe us to

3ders.org Feeds 3ders.org twitter 3ders.org facebook   

About 3Ders.org

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.

News Archive