Ganit Goldstein unveils new Japan-inspired 3D printed fashion collection

Up-and-coming fashion designer Ganit Goldstein may not have had her 3D printed wearables on display at the recent Met Gala (where Zac Posen became the latest designer to use 3D printing in his work), but her designs are striking nonetheless. Her most recent collection, Shifted Craft, was debuted at Milan Design Week last month.

Goldstein prides herself as a fashion designer working at the intersection of craft and technology. This means she frequently combines new technologies, such as 3D scanning, modeling and printing with more traditional textile and garment-making practices. Shifted Craft, which comprises seven pieces of jewelry and two pairs of shoes, embodies these overlapping approaches seamlessly and stylishly.

The collection aims to highlight the relationship between the body, form and technology and draws inspiration from a traditional Japanese yarn and fabric dye technique called “ikat.” Goldstein learnt the process at the Tokyo University of the Arts and it has been pivotal in her work as a fashion designer.

Each of the pieces in the new collection was designed using a combination of 3D scanning and parametric modeling software. The final pieces were 3D printed in partnership with Stratasys‘ Art, Design and Fashion department using its multi-material and multi-colour J750 3D printer.

“Stratasys’ advanced 3D printing technology provides me with the unrestricted ability to print my designs in any colour, form and complexity,” the Israeli designer said. “This collection was designed to shatter traditional limitations by using the unique capabilities of 3D printing to innovate fashion design as we know it.”

Stratasys’ 3D printer also provided the designer with a tool for producing high quality test prints throughout her preliminary research. In the case of the shoes, Goldstein came up with a way to digitally create the materials and to digitally manipulate the physical properties of the fabric. The 3D printer even enabled the designer to 3D print directly onto fabrics and leather.

“I wanted to make the entire collection accessible and ‘ready-to-wear’ in order to show the real potential of 3D printing,” Goldstein said. “Certainly, with regards to the two pairs of shoes in the collection, we are breaking new ground for using such methods to create wearable shoes. I was able to print directly onto leather—an entirely new feature for 3D printing technology.”

Naomi Kaempfer, Creative Director of Stratasys Art, Design and Fashion, was enthusiastic about Goldstein’s ability to draw from traditional Japanese fabric techniques to create a uniquely modern collection.

She said: “Ganit lawfully and rigorously seeks to analyze and express the specific dimensions and qualities of the Japanese Ikat craft with use of parametric design, the containment within the borders of 2.5 dimension, while the technology enables full 3D modeling is an interesting one. Stratasys is focused on promoting and researching the extents of 3D textile design and applications. With new advances made in printing directly onto textiles, we are entering a new era of fashion design. We are committed to exploring innovations with our collaborators.”