Will You Be Designing Your Wardrobe in the Future?

Today, you can design your dream garment online and have it printed in 3D. In this slogging post, our community discussed their thoughts on the fashion industry's future, superhero-ish clothing, and the effects of technology on this trade.

This Slogging thread by Mónica Freitas, Jack Boreham, Rohan Dominic, Malhar Thanki, Favour Amadi, Sara Pinto, Amy Shah and Abeer occurred in slogging's official #technology channel, and has been edited for readability.

PlatformE is a 3D technology and fashion startup that provides a simple Made To Order (MTO) solution that allows customers to create any design of clothing that they want, which can then be delivered to them. How do you see the fashion industry evolving concurrently with technology? Is this startup's initiative something that can be replicated in fast fashion or reserved for big brands at higher prices? https://www.platforme.com/services

Jack Boreham, Limarc Ambalina, Rohan Dominic, Amy Shah

I don't know a lot about fashion, but I do know tech, haha. I see it moving heavily towards automation and the lack of a need to go into the store. Simply, you will be able to build a piece of clothing and design it from home. Also, try it on (not physically) but see how it fits using AR/VR tech. As I mentioned, automation will transform the industry with automatic processes making the whole manufacturing bit less human-intensive.

Jack Boreham Using VR to try clothes on would make it fun for a lot of people. Just today, I saw an advertisement for a jacket that, using tech, heats itself. It was mind-blowing for me! A bit superhero-ish! Which brings me to this question: if you could have a clothing item with an added ability, what would it be?

Sara Pinto, Abeer, Malhar Thanki, SALLYcanttdance, Favour Amadi, Gideon Onyewuenyi

Mónica Freitas, Although a bit far-fetched, give me some trousers (pants for you American folks) that can make me fly. If I never learn to fly a plane, I want trousers that will make me take off!!

Mónica Freitas, Well, I would love to have clothes that could wash, dry and iron themselves 😂

Mónica Freitas, This is supercoool! 😦

Has to be the ability to be invisible or to fly across the world, Mónica Freitas.

Mónica Freitas, I'm stunned by the idea of a self-heating jacket, and in that topic, I have to raise self-cooling pants for summer. But on a more ambitious note, I have to add an on-growing/shortening feature. For example, today, I wished my coat was longer. This would be the queue for tech or a magic genie to come and fix it. Just imagine turning all your shorts into pants, and vice-versa! Would anyone else also appreciate a feature like this?

Jack Boreham, If you ever find ones, sign me up for a pair as well 😂

Rohan Dominic, That'd be the dream! Parents around the world would appreciate it 😂

Favour Amadi, I can see invisibility being used for good and evil. Burglars and intelligence organizations would rejoice 😂

I think I want clothes that fold themselves. Could that be a thing?

Sara Pinto, That's genius! I'd patent those ideas quickly. Growing/shortening features have been done (not technologically) in some clothing items but not in a flashy, modern, or fashionable way. I'd love to have to see more fashionable clothing, but that answers everyday needs. Besides, it would broaden my outfits choices.

Would you ever pay for a piece of clothing designed by you online? Do you think that this business model would have any chance nowadays?

Sara Pinto, Abeer, Malhar Thanki, SALLYcanttdance, Favour Amadi, Gideon Onyewuenyi, Jack Boreham

I love designing tee shirts online so I don't think designing other clothes would be a stretch at all.

Amy Shah, Where do you usually design your t-shirts? What makes you go for that service?

Mónica Freitas, I don't think I completely trust my fashion sense haha, but I would try it for sure. How iconic would it be to have a unique piece designed by you? This is a fun concept for everyone, but I think the more creative ones and fashion enthusiasts could make really great pieces with this!

Mónica Freitas, I can definitely see that business model working. I have a friend who’s always making custom-designed t-shirts and buying them for himself and his friends. It’s always cool to see what inside joke is on his t-shirt the next time we hang out.

Sara Pinto, I can see this as an exciting way to design gifts. Sometimes we have an idea for a customized shirt but don't know where to have it made. Besides, it does give us that unique piece factor all fashion statements need. But especially for fashion enthusiasts and fashion students, I can see how this tech would seem dreamy. Do you think ideas such as this have a place in today's market or are too exclusive yet?

Abeer, That's incredibly fun! The main difference between what this company does and general clothing printing is that you can design your piece from scratch: decide on the shape, color, texture, details, etc. It's a highly customized process and probably a bit expensive, which leads me to this question: do you think this service is too exclusive (for an elite) instead of the mainstream?

Mónica Freitas, Oh, they belong in today's market, absolutely! It may sound ambitious, but I think it would have a good come out and fit right in. Although perhaps it would interest the more enthusiastic about fashion, I think it would be a service that would have a lot of demand, it's a very exciting idea.

Sara Pinto, Looking forward to the day that I'll design my own piece of clothing.