Visiting the Pierre Cardin exhibition gave an insight on how designers in the past envisioned the fashion of today. I was especially interested in Pierre Cardin’s exploration of the human form and how all his garments create and play with the silhouette through construction. The exhibition also showcases his interests in experimenting with “space-age” fabrics in his designs. Cardin’s 1968 faceted, heat-molded dress envisions the future of fashion as it speaks to materiality and innovation. Cardin used the fabric, Dynel, to create a collection of these dresses as it was a relatively new material. However, as of now the fashion industry is more aware of how harmful it is using manufactured fabrics due to difficulty in decomposition and results in pollution. We are also becoming more aware of how natural fibers also cost us large quantities amount of water which is also detrimental to our environment. As we acquire more knowledge on materiality, the fashion industry is making strides to become more consciously aware of the effects it has on the environment. It also speaks to designer’s innovation with using new technologies for construction as Cardin created molds to create architectural garments. As of now designers have began to explore with laser printing and 3d printing. Cardin led the path for designers like Iris van Herpen and Nabil El-Nayal to create architectural/sculptural garments that meet with the new technologies and materiality of our time.
Fletcher, Kate. Sustainable Fashion and Textiles : Design Journeys, Taylor and Francis, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/newschool/detail.action?docID=3061180.
