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As technology has evolved, fashion has evolved with it, often combining the two disciplines in new and inventive ways. Recently, Adobe made history by partnering with fashion designer Christian Cowan to design an interactive dress that can instantly change designs.
The dress was first unveiled at Adobe MAX in October 2023 as Project Primrose and quickly gained international attention for its clever engineering. The secret to the pattern changes lies in “laser-cut polymer dispersed liquid crystal ‘petals’ that can electronically change patterns multiple times per second,” according to Adobe’s website. These petal-like segments were placed carefully on the dress to hide the flexible circuit board beneath, which shines and makes the flowery panels appear to change the design. These transitions are so fast that it can be difficult to notice unless you pay close attention to the dress. This is quite literally a “blink and you’ll miss it” feat of engineering.
Technological elements aside, the dress is gorgeous all on its own. It has a short, off-the-shoulder design and is covered in metallic petals, which gradually turn into large star cutouts as you turn your gaze downward to the bottom of the outfit. Finishing off the design is the sheer fabric around the bust, matching the gloves the model is wearing in the complete look.
To learn more about the process behind creating the dress, scroll down to watch an insightful video featuring Cowan behind the scenes. You can also read more about it on Adobe.
A model recently walked the runway at New York Fashion Week wearing a pattern-changing dress by fashion designer Christian Cowan in collaboration with Adobe.
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The dress, which is part of an initiative called Project Primrose, can change designs in the blink of an eye.
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These quick transformations are thanks to the hundreds of laser-cut polymer “petals” covering the dress and changing patterns multiple times per second.
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Watch to learn more about designer Christian Cowan’s process:
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Christian Cowan: Website | Instagram
Adobe: Website | Instagram
h/t: [DesignTAXI]
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