“The process was largely comparable to working with standard materials, although it required greater attention to seam strength and material thickness,” says Buccinnà. Because the material had been developed to behave like a traditional leather, Buccinnà says his requests were similar to those he would take to a traditional tannery. He chose two different weights — one for the bag and one for the garment — testing different adhesives to achieve the desired drape. “We were also able to develop a custom color outside the standard palette, which was essential to achieving the conceptual intention of the garment.”
Innovation requires iteration
Iteration was a common theme. Bhumi, founded by Dutch designer Emma Van Engelen, is best known for its 3D-printed bags, which have been worn by celebrities including Julia Fox and Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan. For Wardrobe Edition, Van Engelen partnered with BioCirflex3D, a bio-based, fully compostable and recyclable alternative to conventional 3D-printing filaments designed by Israeli startup Balena.
For Wardrobe Edition, Bhumi designer Emma Van Engelen iterated on her signature 3D-printed bags (shown left), using BioCirflex3D, a bio-based, fully compostable and recyclable filament (sketch on the right).Photos: Courtesy of Bhumi
It was a bumpy start, says Van Engelen. While conventional filaments have been tested extensively by different makers, and predictable hiccups come with a suite of solutions, BioCirflex3D required a lot of trial and error. “As soon as I realized I could physically stretch the filament between my hands, I knew it was going to be a very different challenge,” she says. For weeks, every print failed, as the material stretched around the gears and clogged the machine. Unable to go to her peers for troubleshooting, it took Van Engelen several months to make it work. “The emphasis on experimentation, creativity, and quality rather than quantity made this one of my favorite projects I have been part of.”
On the opposite end of the textile spectrum, London-based designer Maximilian Raynor worked with Madagascar-based accessories brand Made for a Woman to develop ready-to-wear from their signature raffia material. They quickly realized that it wouldn’t be possible for the artisans to make the full garment, because it was too complex and sat outside their technical expertise, so the artisans pivoted to making panels, which Raynor’s team could cut and sew in London. “Making a textile of such intricacy is an extremely time-consuming effort and, together with the artisans from Made for a Woman, we found a balance between ambitious, unique design and what was humanly possible,” Raynor says. “I’m proud to work with a material that people are not used to seeing in such an extreme, elevated, high fashion context.”
