In a world that is becoming smarter every day, it is time that our wardrobe starts to adapt to our needs. Within this interdisciplinary research project, we explore garments that adapt to our practical and social needs. Garments that adapt to how much we want to stand out or be less noticeable.
Second Skins Re-FREAM
How is it possible that we keep surrounding ourselves with passive and polluting garments while the world we live in becomes “smarter” every day? In the morning we still need to pick an outfit that needs to suit us throughout the whole day, without knowing what kind of situations we will encounter. This feels old-fashioned in an era in which the rise of “Smart Things” and data-collecting gadgets is a fact.
The recent fast fashion movement is based on the desire for quick changes in the wardrobe. How amazing would it be if we could change and customize the colours, patterns, structures, and other properties of our clothing? If we wouldn’t have the constant need for new items anymore, and can simply change the content and attributes of a product instead? This can truly enhance the life span of the pieces we own.
Within this project, we developed a garment that is adaptable on multiple levels. To realise this, we used a modular approach within garment design. Besides the esthetic value, this concept offers new perspectives for future, healthy businessmodels.
Re-FREAM
Re-FREAM is a collaborative and interdisciplinary research project, where selected applicants team up with a community of scientists to rethink the manufacturing process of the fashion industry. Re-FREAM is a pillar of the STARTS Programme (Science + Technology + Arts) - an initiative of the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. For the Second Skins project Malou Beemer was based in hub Berlin and collaborated with the partners: IZM Fraunhofer, Profactor, EMPA and Wear It Berlin.