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A 3D Printed Dress Inspired by Petals, Feathers, & Scales

Just over a year ago, Nervous System launched a new 4D printing system, Kinematics, that led to the production of a completely wearable dress made of interlocking, 3D printed components. Now, they’ve been commissioned by Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) to design a new dress for their #techstyle exhibition, which delves into the “synergy between fashion and technology and how it is not only changing the way designers design, but also the way people interact with their clothing.”

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They developed a new language for Kinematics to make the new Petals Dress happen. The latest design was inspired by petals, feathers, and scales, and is made of interconnected elements that look like cascading petals or shells flowing down the body. The beauty of the software is that you can customize the dress to fit anyone’s body through a 3D scan, and now, each element is individually customized.

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The dress is 3D printed in durable nylon plastic by Selective Laser Sintering and is made of more than 1,600 unique pieces connected by more than 2,600 hinges. When it comes out of the 3D printer, it’s ready to wear immediately!

Watch the dress in action:

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Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.