Emergence of 3D Printed Fashion: Navigating the Ambiguity of Materiality Through Collective Design

Abstract

The emergence of 3D printing technology is being embraced by an increasing number of fashion designers. Due to the nascent and evolving nature of the technology, however, there is significant ambiguity around this technology’s implications for the practices of fashion design. Based on the theoretical perspective of sociomateriality and the concept of translation, and drawing on archives, interviews, and other forms of qualitative data, this study’s preliminary findings show that fashion designers navigate this ambiguity by pursuing a collective design process with diverse stakeholders to actively perceive and leverage the affordances and constraints of the technology. The ongoing interaction among a network of heterogeneous actors gives rise to innovative perceptions, practices, and products, which collectively shape the emergence of the field of 3D printed fashion.

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