nervous system develops kinematic petals, a 3D-printed dress

nervous system develops kinematic petals, a 3D-printed dress
(above) the dress is part of the #techstyle exhibition held at the museum of fine arts in boston
all images courtesy of nervous system

the museum of fine arts, boston (MFA) commissioned nervous system to create a new dress for the exhibition #techstyle, which runs from march 6 through july 10, 2016. the show explores the synergy between fashion and technology and how it is not only changing the way designers create but also the way people interact with their clothing.

the new developed software is able to create a dress that takes into consideration body type, style and others
video courtesy of nervous system

referencing petals, feathers, and scales, nervous system developed a new textile language for their kinematics system, where the interconnected elements are articulated as imbricating shells. like their previous garments, this dress can be customized to the wearer’s body through a 3D scan, and additionally, each element is now individually customizable: varying in direction, length, and shape.

the dress design references petals, feathers, and scales

petals protrude from the underlying framework of tessellated triangular panels, sheathing the body in a directional landscape of overlapping plumes. each interlocking component of the dress is rigid, but in aggregate, they behave as a continuous textile. the dress is 3D-printed in durable nylon plastic by selective laser sintering. while the design is composed of more than 1600 unique pieces interconnected by more than 2600 hinges, it emerges from the 3D printer fully assembled and ready to wear. they employ a smart folding strategy to compress kinematics garments into a smaller form for efficient fabrication. by folding the garments prior to printing them, complex structures are created larger than a 3D printer, that unfold into their intended shape.

to make this dress possible, nervous system developed new design software and simulation tools. the overlapping petals necessitated a new strategy for compressing the garment for efficient 3D printing. 

the interconnected elements are articulated as imbricating shells

the dress can be customized to the wearer’s body through a 3D scan

each element is individually customizable: varying in direction, length, and shape

thanks to its design, the dress moves freely
video courtesy of nervous system

detail of the petals

underneath the petal-covered exterior is the same kinematics framework as the studio’s other 3D-printed dresses 

the dress was 3D-printed in a compressed format produced by rolling the garment  

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.