Through the ongoing interdisciplinary research project 'Crafting Wearables', Pauline van Dongen creates wearable technology that is strong, fashionable and commercially viable within the production chain. Together with researchers from Radboud University Nijmegen, ArtEZ University of the Arts and Eindhoven University of Technology and partners Philips Research, TextielLab – TextielMuseum, MODINT, Freedom of Creation, Solar Fiber, Inntex and Xsens, Van Dongen combines fashion, technology, industry and scientific research.
A lot of research has been done into wearable technology in recent years. In reality, however, wearables rarely get further than textiles with added functionality ('smart materials'). This is because the design process often emphasises technology over aesthetics and does not consider the wearer’s body. By bringing together scientists, fashion designers, technicians and companies to share expertise across disciplines, the ‘Crafting Wearables’ project hopes to bridge the gap between theory and practice, experiment and industry, and design and production in the field of wearable technology. Smart materials, aesthetics and various techniques and production methods are used to conduct case studies and develop designs. This long-term collaborative approach has resulted in new knowledge and insights into the design of wearables.
Pauline van Dongen is a Dutch fashion designer specialised in smart textiles and smart clothing. Intrigued by interactivity in fashion, she examines the human body in relation to its environment. She is also fascinated by change, movement, energy and perception, as she believes that the future of fashion lies in its premise to be dynamic and changeable. Her design studio, founded in 2010, is involved in a wide range of projects in different disciplines. The studio operates at the intersection of fashion and technology and develops wearable products and tactile experiences, partly through cross-disciplinary collaborations with (inter)national partners.
