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While in New York late last week, I observed a new convergence that is happening among the the worlds of fashion, technology and crafts. A new kind of collaboration and idea sharing is happening and after Angel Chang's Spring 2007 fashion technology show last Thursday, the movement is definitely gaining momentum.
Fashion designer Angel Chang collaborated with technologists and artists to create the next step in fashion, what we've all been waiting for -- the exploration with technology. From special inks that change color or appear/dissappear with heat or sunlight to stylized iPod jackets, Angel's collection wasn't about gimmicky technology, it was beautiful fashion with function and new twists.
This dress was one of my favorites. A beautiful pleated chiffon dress with a sunburst pattern screen printed with special ink (from Japan) that turns yellow in heat. For demonstration purposes at the show, hairdryers were on hand to simulate what it would be like to walk outside in the NY heat.
Double-layered cotton and chiffon romper with black thermochromomic ink that disappeared with heat.
I thought it would be great to include Angel Chang's vision statement that was printed on her brochure because it really embodied the spirit of the show and the vision of this talented designer.
Angel Chang's Vision
There are enough clothes in the world; we do not need another mainstream fashion designer.
What we need are experiments and those who are willing to experiment. We designers are too safe today -- relying on the trends of the past rather than innovating for the future.
I think of all the ways my generation of women are different from the previous generations; we're working more, traveling more, dependent on our cell phones, hooked on the Internet, and obsessively checking our e-mail. In short, we are more mobile and heavily depend on technology for all the things we do in our daily lives. But while our roles and lifestyles have changed drastically over the last 40 years, the structure of our clothing, oddly, has not.
This capsule collection is a series of concepts I developed in the last year: color-changing inks, 3-D images, iPod clothing, and light-up gear. Some serve a specific function while others are for personal entertainment. It is not a solution, but rather a first step to tackling the aforementioned problem.
My aim is to show that clothes can actually do something - beyond just looking good; they ought to facilitate and improve the way we live. Whether they're waterproof cottons or iPods stitched in our clothes, each piece displayed is a solution to a problem I've encountered when wearing clothes in the city.
Each piece is a collaboration with someone in the technology world. It goes beyond the forced superficial fashion & tech marketing pairings we've seen in recent years, and is based on a more organic creative process. The technology itself is oftentimes concealed in the design, so the clothes can maintain their design integrity. I hope to show the fashion world that innovation goes beyond just rearranging ruffles, and to convince tech companies that they should invest further in these types of collaborations.
- Angel Chang
Angel Chang: Spring 2007 Fashion Tech Show Photos - Link.
