This research-creation project focuses on the emerging potential of 3D printing for the textile industry. One of our goals was to expose how physical and mechanical properties of a 3D printed textile affect the body-clothing relationship. To do so, we reviewed the literature, looked for sources of inspiration, modeled various samples of textiles in 3D, printed them and documented our process. To explore the affordance of those textiles and their potential impact on the body-clothing relationship, we collaborated with two dancers named Ève Constantin and Camille Raymond. Their knowledge on curated and non-curated bodily movements plus their expertise in non-verbal communication brought interesting insights to the research, such as how haptic feedback can allow dancers to create a duo with their costumes. With this collaborative approach, we also wanted to understand how our combined skills informed the research-creation project. Each of our strengths turned out to be complementary and blended together in a fluid way. While we all participated in every step, some team members naturally took the lead on different parts of the project. Anne Boutet organized the interviews and made the videos, Audrey Coulombe made the literature review and explored different printable materials and Marie Christine Larivière shared her knowledge on topology optimization and printer calibration. Since the three of us have a common academic and professional background in fashion design, this project is directly related to our practice and interests. In a context where the maker culture is booming and where additive manufacturing is becoming more democratic, our research will give an insight into what fashion design can become and how it might affect our relationship to clothing.

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2021