Futuristic gowns formed from neoprene

ERJ staff report (TP)

London − Fashion designer Sadie Williams has heat-pressed neoprene to create a collection of metallic sci-fi garments, which were nominated for Designs of the Year 2014 earlier this week, reported Dezeen Magazine.

Sadie Williams created the embossed effects on the dresses in her Totemic collection by sandwiching layers of neoprene, more commonly used for wetsuits, between metallic yarns and tracksuit material.

Williams chose the sparkly yet structured materials after seeing old images of Harley Davidson riders and Japanese bikers who rode glittery motorcycles.

"I really love the graphic, masculine print arrangement found in biker clothing, helmets and panelled satin racing vests," said Williams. "I incorporated leather elements into my collection as a nod to bikers."

The simple silhouettes of the dresses were influenced by 1960s designers Pierre Cardin and André Courrèges and references from gowns by Italian designer Valentino are visible in the length and dropped waists.

Bonding the metallic yarns to the tracksuit fabric removed the need for lining and also gave the textile a stiff quality.

Leather panels and patches were either sewn into the dresses or appliquéd (to sew or fix a decoration) on top.

Prints were added on top using hand collaged heat-transfer papers and a dye-sublimation printer, which also employs heat to transfer colours to textiles.

Sadie Williams created the garments while studying on Central Saint Martins’ MA Fashion course, which she graduated from last year.

The collection is nominated in the Fashion category for this year's Designs of the Year awards organised by London's Design Museum. Two of her pieces will go on display at the museum from 26 March as part of the dedicated exhibition.

This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Full story from Dezeen Magazine