Designer Neyla Coronel pioneers custom 3D printed lingerie

The history of women’s underwear and lingerie has been marked by several innovations, from the advent of synthetic nylon stockings in the 1940s, to the proliferation of underwire bras in the 1950s, to seamless underwear in recent decades. Well, that innovation shows no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by Colombian designer Neyla Coronel, who has created a capsule collection of customizable 3D printed bras.

Coronel was inspired to take on the project, called Fits You!, after realizing that the struggle to find comfortable and well-fitting undergarments—something many women will be familiar with—was not an issue with her body but rather a problem with the limited options available in the consumer market. Instead, she thought, why not design the garments directly and customize them for women.

Over the course of the project, carried out as part of the Fabricademy, Coronel developed a workflow for designing and manufacturing custom bras that integrates several cutting edge technologies, including 3D scanning, parametric modeling, computational geometry and 3D printing. Notably, she created a 3D printable auxetic pattern that can be tailored to fit the wearer using the aforementioned design tools.

The final garment is made up of a few different components, including 3D printed auxetic cups with integrated front straps, two back strap panels with parametric design elements, straps and flower-shaped pieces that connect the various pieces. Both the cups and back panels are customized based on the customer’s 3D scan for the best fit possible.

The auxetic pattern of the cups is integral to the fit and function of the bra. Though it is printed flat using a flexible filament, the auxetic geometry allows for controlled stretch when the material is compressed in the opposite direction, effectively enabling the cup to conform to the wearer’s body. Users can also choose to tailor other elements of the bra, including pattern density, strap length and expansion properties. “I don’t want this project to be only mine,” she added. “It should be from a woman, to women—a shared space where design becomes personal and empowering.”

The printing material was also an important consideration for Coronel. After experimenting with common filaments like PLA and TPU, she ultimately landed on Balena.Filaflex, a circular 3D printing material developed by biopolymer specialist Balena and premium filament manufacturer Recreus. “Working with Balena,Filaflex was a breakthrough,” the designer explained. “Its flexibility is essential for something worn so close to the body. But beyond that, it’s biobased, compostable and recyclable. It made the piece not just wearable—but meaningful.”

Presently, Coronel is continuing her exploration of 3D printing for fashion and design products, both in the field of lingerie and other segments like footwear. Leveraging her background in architecture, she has already made a number of eye-catching and innovative pieces, including a 3D printed jewelry collection called Origen.