Last week, FGILA brought together four women in the fashion industry to discuss “Fashion Technology Innovation, Challenges and New Frontiers.”

Despite all the talk about robots stealing everyone’s job, some folks in the fashion industry aren’t worrying at all. In fact, four women are embracing the idea. They believe new technologies like 3D printing could “accelerate and transform production in the apparel industry.”

Last week, a Fashion Group International of Los Angeles (FGILA) panel was brought together to discuss how this could happen. The discussion centred around “Fashion Technology Innovation, Challenges and New Frontiers.” 

There was much talk of how advances in 3D printing and robotics could change the labor market. The answers to these queries were ideas such as “sewbots” and 3D printers replacing traditional sewing factories.

Pat Trautman, president of Global Garment Engineering, said: “In this country, we don’t have anybody that wants to sew. That’s why we need sewbots, to have a competitive advantage over foreign production.”

Irina Palmer, a technical designer for the Kendall + Kylie clothing brand, added: “We need people to monitor the machines.”

Also on the panel, architects Julia Körner and Jenny Wu discussed how they already use 3D printers to create their unique fashion pieces.

FGILA Shows how 3D Printing is Already Innovating Fashion

Thanks to designers such as Iris van Herpen, 3D printed dresses are not a rare sight on catwalks. Both Austrian architect Julia Körner and jewelry designer Jenny Wu are noted in the industry for their use of the technology too.

Jenny Wu uses the technology to create jewelry for LACE, her line of 3D printed designs. These pieces are highly intricate and often worn by celebrities.

Julia Körner is the founder of JK Design GmbH which specializes in digital design for 3D printing. She’s been trying to move 3D printing from catwalk to the streets. In 2015, she launched “sporophyte”, which is a ready-to-wear, 3D printed collection.

She has also won awards for her use of 3D printing such as the Rising Star Award at the Global 3D Printing Awards by the 3D Print Show London 2014.

The panel’s moderator, pictured below, Nancy L. McCullough works as an attorney for Law Offices of Nancy L. McCullough. She said: “The future is already at our thresholds. The challenge for modern designers and manufacturers is stark and clear: embrace the future, or get left in the past.”

Source: Apparel News Photo Credit: Julia Körner Hybrid Holism