Where fashion and technology meet

At the Crafted Festival, students from Summa and Fontys University of Applied Sciences will present a unique fashion collection led by Anouk Wipprecht, an internationally renowned pioneer at the intersection of fashion and technology. Like Insects is anything but standard: each creation is inspired by an insect and incorporates both visual and mechanical elements. "From the very first moment, we were impressed by that rare combination of fashion and technology," says second-year Fashion Designer Isolde Luijting. "We never imagined we'd still be working with electronics."

The collaboration with Wipprecht, who has worked with Audi, Swarovski, Microsoft, and major artists, made an impression. "Having such a professional on board is truly special," says third-year Fashion Tailor Dalila Al Malki. "We went to work with full energy. In retrospect, I think we lingered in the design phase a bit too long, but in the end, we just pulled it off."

The material also presented challenges. "We were working with waste material from the mattress industry," says student Lennard Sap. "It wasn't really intended for clothing; it could have been a bit thinner. But it was up to us to make it work anyway." Classmate Philip Coenen adds: "We were given clear guidelines, such as the choice of material and the choice of white. We'll also have to deal with these guidelines later in practice."

The big photoshoot took place on Friday, June 6th. "That was a huge drain on my energy," said Isolde. "Getting models, the right makeup, styling, posing, getting the clothes to fall beautifully on the body, sewing—we were exhausted by the evening. During the show itself, we certainly won't be able to relax and enjoy the results. Behind the scenes, it's incredibly hard work. The true sense of pride only comes later."

The collaboration between creative and technical students was remarkable. While fashion designers primarily work from feeling and image, the Fontys Engineering and Industrial Engineering students brought an analytical perspective.

"We're used to documenting everything; we work systematically behind our screens," says Fontys student Fiyo van Ravenstein. "This minor gave us the opportunity to work with people who think very intuitively and creatively." With his teammates Mark van Druten and Mathijs Radersma, he added interactive elements to the designs using the electronics Anouk introduced (Arduino, sensors, and motors). "Using microcontrollers, we made the garments respond to movement, light, or temperature."

Mark: "We suddenly had to design for the eye. That took some getting used to. Aesthetics isn't measurable, but it is essential in fashion." Instructor Alison van Loenen saw the worlds collide beautifully: "It's impressive how much the students have grown. We've truly become a close-knit team. Shining at Crafted is incredibly rewarding for all of us. And make no mistake: there are also many similarities between fashion and technology. We discovered that together."

The teachers and supervisors are proud. "So many learning moments in such a short time," says Summa instructor Mabel Dam-van de Biggelaar. "The great collaboration, the young people's agility, the creative solutions to technical challenges—it was fantastic to see."

Wipprecht is also impressed. "The achievements are fantastic. Time was short, but the students made something special of it. My mission is to make technology accessible – and especially to get more women into tech. Robot fashion is developing rapidly. When I started, applications were still large and cumbersome. Now they can be processed really elegantly. We're demonstrating that with Like Insects. "

Crafted Festival kicks off on Thursday, June 19th. "We'll be watching from backstage with goosebumps as the collection walks down the catwalk," concludes Mabel. "And afterward: a big round of applause for all the students."

Crafted Festival takes place on Thursday, June 19th, in Microstad, near Eindhoven's train station. Come and discover how technology and creativity shine together on the catwalk. The full program and all other information can be found at crafted.nu.