Shapeways seems to be ahead of the curve when it comes to getting beautiful people, especially those with high profiles, into 3D printing. There is no denying that high profile names (and faces) grab headlines and present excellent photo opportunities for branding and that seems to be a recent strategy for the NYC 3D printing company. Following on from the Shapeways 3D printed gown designed for and modelled by Dita von Teese and the Kimberly Ovitz fashion collection, the latest fashionista with the Shapeways connection is Coco Rocha, who visited the New York facility recently.
The 25 year old, Canadian born super-model is known for modelling some of the world’s most presitigious fashion lines, including Versace, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabana. She is also vocal in her opinions on the modelling industry, including her stance against size zero. More recently Ms Rocha has also established a reputation for being tech-savvy — her awareness of various technologies, including 3D printing, pepper her dialogue. In a “Tech Talk” interview with Decode Magazine earlier this year, she highlighted the work of fashion designer Iris van Herpen, who has incorporated 3D printed dresses in her 2012 and 2013 collections: “Iris van Herpen has been pioneering the use of 3D printing in fashion for a few years now and with really amazing results. I’m hoping others in the industry take note and explore the possibilities! It’s really amazing to see shapes and designs that were previously incomprehensible are now possible.”
Ms Rocha’s visit to Shapeways saw her touring the 3D print lab and looking wistfully at one of the largest EOS laser sintering machines and its laser light show. She was shown how to programme the machine although it is hard to imagine her getting up close and personal with the powder materials! There was also discussion around the future of 3D printing and fashion – instinct would suggest it won’t be too long before we see some customized 3D printed garments on this young lady.
Source: Shapeways Blog
