3D printing fashion designer Francis Bitonti has just joined Sketchfab and the results are better than we could have hoped for! Though the designer has since begun his own line of 3D printed accessories, he was initially made famous for working in collaboration with Michael Schmidt Studios and Shapeways to 3D print a gown for Dita Von Teese, a piece which has now become synonymous with 3D printed fashion. That gown, along with Bitonti’s other work, has now been published on the 3D model sharing site in all of its glory.
Dita’s Gown
by Francis Bitonti Studio
on Sketchfab
Bitonti’s contribution to Sketchfab is a perfect symbol for the role that 3D model sharing will play in the emerging field of 3D printed design. With Bitonti’s dresses, including the Bristle Dress and Verlan Dress embedded below, now online and available for view in 3D, the designer, or those inspired by him, can examine the designs from every angle and show them to others, no matter where they are in the world.
The Bristle Dress
by Francis Bitonti Studio
on Sketchfab
And, for those who plan to 3D print their own designs, Sketchfab’s in-browser display allows artists to share preliminary models with others before going into production. This takes the computing power demands off the individual user and puts them onto Sketchfab and the cloud. With the added ability to include text and other elements, users can then incorporate their 3D models into a portfolio to present to potential clients or employers. In a not-so-distant future filled with VR headsets and gesture control, such platforms will be essential in the design and production process.
The Verlan Dress
by Francis Bitonti Studio
on Sketchfab
Bitonti’s decision to publish his designs on the model sharing site also hint at the further establishment of Sketchfab in the 3D printing and 3D modeling community. As more big name artists and companies join the site, we’ll begin to see the beginning of a new ecosystem devoted to all things 3D begin to take shape.
