Fashion Designing with Electronics

Fashion Week, My new book Fashion Geek: Clothes, Accessories, Tech is out in bookstores now. It teaches how to make 13 DIY electronic fashion projects using things like LEDs, hacked pedometers, and conductive thread. I had a lot of fun making this book, and the best part was designing fashions for other people to make.

Fashion Geek is crafts meets fashion. I followed the fashion design process: gathering inspiration, sketching, making samples, and drafting patterns to create designs that everyone can DIY. Most electronic clothing is futuristic and sci-fi looking. But to me the future is now. I want to make fashion and technology cute, friendly, and accessible to everyone — something that everyone can make and wear. My inspiration is cute things like Tokidoki + J-pop (Japanese pop culture) with a bit of a hipster edge to make the style more wearable for today. I use a lot of trim, ribbons, bells, beads, and cut-out flowers because it’s the little things that make a difference.

Even though there are many cute designs and embellishments, Fashion Geek is not only for girls. Projects like the EL Wire Shoes were inspired by the brightly colored fun clothing of Kid Robot and Japanese hip hop clothing brand Bathing Ape. I wanted to give the shoes an under light glow, but how could I add this without making it look tacky? I thought back to the super cushioned Nike Air Jordans, and added the glow in the cushion. Now we have a shoe with under lighting that is perfect for the Bathing Ape, Kid Robot, and post-Heatherette customer. In true hipster fashion, there is of course a hoodie, the Headphone Hoodie, that plays music in the hood.

My favorite design is the Felt Flower Flash Drive, a USB thumb drive necklace, which I wear all the time. It’s oversized and truly inspired by the cute things of J-pop. You can see it plugged into the computer, and me wearing it while MTV films my model call. Stay tuned for my next CRAFT entry Wednesday as I cast models, grab hair and make-up tear sheets, and throw together a few more garments Project Runway-style for the big Fashion Geek presentation this Thursday, March 19th.

The Fashion Show Night

Fashion Technology, On March 19th, I had my book release party for Fashion Geek: Clothes, Accessories, Tech at Pop Lounge. It included a fashion presentation of all of the DIY electronic fashions in the book. Here’s a look behinds the scenes of making the DIY projects into a fashion presentation.

Jen Parker and Elizabeth Owusu were the hair stylists armed with headbands to give the models’ hair Gossip Girl style. About an hour before the show an EL wire driver breaks! Edith Kollath steps in and helped hand sew a replacement EL wire driver on the back of a model’s skirt, just 15 minutes before the show’s start time.

The models are in place on Fashion Geek platforms. Fashion Indie did a fantastic job running the event. They helped find the location Pop Lounge, managed the guest list, told the models when to smile, and the DJ’s where to stand. As the guests begin pouring in, someone noted that the nerds tended to congregate towards the back of the room, while the fashion designers stood in the front near the models. Everyone munched on bacon toffee and chocolate covered Pop Rocks from Danielle Bilton. We listened to digital music from Eric Skiff. Then DJ Joey Mariano played digital music live from his hacked guitar and hacked Game Boy. In the end, I think everyone all had a good time.

You can watch a video of the fashion presentation by Bre Pettis here:Thanks to CRAFT for letting me share my behind the scenes with you. I’ll be back here later next month with a fashion project. Until then, catch up with me on my Fashion Site.

Here’s all the Behind the Scenes posts:

• Behind the Scenes of Fashion Geek: Designing Fashion with Electronics
• Behind the Scenes of Fashion Geek: DIY Fashion Show
• Behind the Scenes of Fashion Geek: Quick Update

Switch Craft by Alison Lewis

Fashion Technology, Switch Craft: Battery-Powered Crafts to Make and Sew by Alison Lewis

I’m so excited about Alison Lewis’ new book, Switch Craft: Battery-Powered Crafts to Make and Sew. Alison of Switch merges technology into fashion, home, and product design with 20 step-by-step projects. Each project in the book is easy to follow and has accompanying illustrated diagrams as well beautiful color photographs. I also love the spiral binding so the book can easily lay flat while you are working on a project. And, if you aren’t technically savvy, no worries! Alison is an awesome teacher. She teaches fashion technology at Parsons and I’ve seen her teach first hand at the many workshops she’s done at Maker Faire over the years. She walks you through the process — teaching you about the materials, safety issues, and electronics. Just flipping through the colorful book is inspiring in itself.

Here are a few of my favorite projects from the book:

Pillow Talk, a pillow that lets you talk on your phone! Just hook it up your mobile phone and talk away. On the right, is the stylish Petal Shuffle newsboy hat. The hat hides your iPod shuffle and the beaded pedals allow you to control the volume and song choice. There’s no soldering involved at all on this one so it’s very easy to make.

Firefly Bracelet merges sewing techniques along with electronic components to make it glimmer. Plus I’m in love with all the colors in the bracelet. This may have to be the first project I tackle.

Alison showed Maker Faire Austin attendees how to make this Shiny Clutch.

Catch up with Alison Lewis and updates on the book Switch Craft.

Nerd Diana is showing Fashion Technology

Fashion Technology, As you may have read in Natalie’s post yesterday, Diana Eng will be guest blogging on our site starting on Monday (yay!). So it seemed like a perfect time to check in with her on the newest happs in her crafty world. But first, let’s take a look at what Diana has contributed to the pages of CRAFT magazine.

Back in CRAFT Volume 01 (October 2006), we ran a feature on Diana, highlighting how many of her designs seamlessly blend her diverse loves of science, technology, and fashion design. Diana, along with fellow designer Emily Albinski, had put on a sizzling math-inspired runway show at the first Bay Area Maker Faire (April 2006) that featured such innovative designs as Diana’s Inflatable Dress, which changes shape as it inflates and deflates:

Diana provided us with a how-to on making a Harajuku-inspired Japanese Punk Shirt:

As well as the adorable Original how-to for folding dinner napkins into animal shapes:

These days, Diana’s big news is that she has a book that just came out called Fashion Geek, where she teaches you how to take your clothes and accessories and add high-tech flair to them. She’s got a great video demonstrating the DIY Shoes from Fashion Geek on her Fashion Nerd blog. Here’s the video:

Be sure to look for Diana guest blogging here on Craftzine starting next week and pick up back issues of CRAFT in the Maker Shed!

Beer Heiress To Perfumer

Fashion Models, We hear that Daphne Guinness, she of the massive couture collection and the many rings, is set to collaborate on a new fragrance. We can’t go into details, but we can say that this will have most other celebrity scent launches beat. Don’t you just know that a woman with badger-stripe hair has a wicked sense of smell.

One Sleeve Better Than Two

Fashion Style, Designers found lots of ways to work cost-effectively this season, but none was more eye-catching than the single-sleeve look. “It’s a bit playful,” Henry Holland said of the style. “A strong shoulder on the other side balances it out.” The silhouette, which also showed up at Akris, Givenchy, and Michael Kors, among other runways, is an evolution of trendy off-the-shoulder dressing. Depending on your point of view, it either plays on the notion of reveal/conceal or makes the wearer look like she forgot an important part of her ensemble on her way out the door. What’s your take on the trend? 

Hot and Sexy Kylie Minogue

Fashion Models,  she looking hot and sexy? At the age of 40 Kylie Minogue smashes the Elle Magazine cover page with style.

Fashion of black attire with a white vest makes Kylie look simply terrific and stupefying. The short messy bobs with the flawless skin, black eyes, natural lips and the electrifying black nails all together is a deadly combination and makes Kylie look awesome.

Black and white is the color combination which Elle has chosen for their April’09 issue. Just have a look at this another sexy black outfit worn by Kylie. The black leather shorts by extended suspenders framed by black denim blazers and black stockings just rocks Kylie.

Fashion Tips by Kate Winslet’s daughter

Fashion Tips, Kate Winslet’s latest fashion critic is her 8 year old daughter Mia from her ex-hubby Jim Threapleton. Kate says that Mia is a fashion obsessed kid. Mia says to her mom that why does she wear black so much?

Kate’s latest visit to a television show Kate was wearing a trendy en suite grey blazer with a black skinny trouser and shirt.

She discussed her conversation with Mia. She asked Mia on what color she should wear. Then after thinking for a while Mia replied Pink? No not pink. Pink is a color for kids below 10 years of age.

Katey also discussed her liking to dress up at each and every award ceremony. She as a kid was fat and hence was not able to wear and look good. So she now tries and wears what she likes and just enjoy.