Scintillation (2014)

Kalaimathi Mahendran, Singapore

Description

My motive and inspiration behind the dress had to do with classic and clean cuts from the 50’s . My garment combines simplistic design with a retro vintage touch. On the outside it looks like a dress to be worn for an occasion. I incorporated LED lights in the inner skirt, which is triggered when the wearer is at a dance or party and her partner holds her waist. It can be customized to blink rhythmically. The process of emitting flashes of light is ‘scintillation’.

I was inspired to show a dark dress that sparkled with the aid of LED’s and IMRE’s luminescent pink thread. To make the technology the main driving force behind the whole concept of technology meets fashion. I wanted to explore how technology could be incorporated into a normal dress to make it shine. Hence the reason behind my 50’s inspired classy dance dress. Its a dress that showcases the ideas of how a human touch can trigger a beautiful reaction of sparkling lights that almost seems to convey the array of emotions and feelings the wearer feels while dancing with her partner.

Luminescent silk cocoons with colours found at the fibers of the silk. No colour dyeing was done to the cocoons to create the colouring. This saves energy and water consumption required in the  dyeing process of fabrics. 

Medium

Stiffened velvet, embossed tule, polyester, luminous silk worm cocoons, electronics: LEDs, Ardurio Lilypad , conductive thread, pressure sensor 

Techniques

Pattern drafting, bodice fitting and sewing

Credits

Developed in collaboration with Dr. Han Ming Yong from A*STAR