Transformative Wearables

The intelligence and sophistication of the woven fabrics within our everyday world and the ever growing field of micro-electronics has inspired me to delve deeper into the study of performance textiles and their capacity to transform the way we live. In this project I aim to collapse the boundaries of science, engineering, and craft to create an artwork that imbues meaning onto textiles while shedding light on their transformative value as artifacts that carry within them societal knowledge.

For the purpose of this project, I intend to move beyond the two-dimensional surface of textile and create a wearable that transforms on the body and changes the perception of viewer about their everyday apparel.

Developing this piece involves using traditional techniques of hand weaving while incorporating fibre-optics, sensors, and other electronic components into the structure of the garment. The fibre-optics are woven in different patterns into the fabric and then used as a textile to create a garment.

The interaction between this article of clothing and the environment, the wearer and the spectator will depend on the light sensors embedded in its structure. Depending on the data received from the light sensors the garment will then respond by projecting different light patterns.

As the wearer becomes invisible in darkness, the dress becomes alive and signifies the wearer’s presence. . This dress is to bring back the absent body from darkness and give life back to its wearer.

Oldouz Moslemian is a textile artist and designer. She has a background in Industrial Design and has graduated with a Bachelor of Design from OCAD University in MAAD-Textile program. Oldouz uses textiles as her primary site of exploration, while incorporating other materials and technologies into their structure to create unique fabrics that respond to their surroundings.