Fashion tech workshop: biomimicry & textile explorations;

24

English

The sessions take place every day from 9:00 to 17:00 in two locations:
Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday: POPLAB - Maison Populaire, 9 rue Dombasle, 93100 Montreuil;
Wednesday: Espace ENAMOMA, 26 rue du faubourg Saint Jacques, 75014 Paris

In the field of textiles, the mechanical properties of spider silk, the self-cleaning surface of the lotus leaf or the adhesion of the gecko's paw are conventionally cited and declined. The course builds on biomimicry as a source of inspiration for soft materials explorations. Students are led to question the challenges of sustainable textile innovations through the design of a prototype of a fashion accessory or the development of a research notebook.
The workshop is held in the heart of a fab lab to facilitate the use of technologies (laser cutting, 3D printing, electronics, biomaterials, sewing) and to put the research immediately into practice. Students are also initiated to origami/kirigami to foster their creative explorations.
The transversality of the teams, with students in design, engineering, organization science... allows for a multicultural and interdisciplinary approach.

A first step of guided experimentation allows students to learn how to use the provided material and to start their explorations. Each group then defines a subject and develops a prototype or a research notebook.

DAY 1;
· Introduction of the program;
· Conference on biomimicry (invited speaker);
· Presentation of life-cycle inventory and impact analysis;
· Initiation: fab lab;
· Group work: initial explorations;

DAY 2;
· Initiations: smart textiles; origami / kirigami; sewing and folding;
· Group work: research, ideation and experimentation in the fab lab;

DAY 3;
· Conference: the reality of biomimicry in industrial projects (invited speaker);
· Conference: topological features in fashion and design - origami/kirigami and bone-inspired structures (invited speaker);
· Group work: prototyping/experimentation in the sewing workshop;

DAY 4;
· Group work: prototyping/experimentation in the fab lab;

DAY 5;
· Group work: final touches and preparation of the presentation;
· Defense: 15 minutes pitch to present the project followed by Q&A;
· Photoshoot

The validation of the course is based on the presence and participation to all sessions and on the group work assessed with the following criteria:
· Originality, depth, innovativeness of the prototype or research notebook;
· Rigor of the life-cycle inventory and analysis for lesser impact;
· Supporting document for the oral presentation;
· Defense of the project (clarity of the pitch, participation of all members of the group, time management);
· Group involvement over the week (exchange with the teaching staff, good use of the fab lab)

Any master level student with a curious mind and an interest for an interdisciplinary experience

DEPEYRE Colette

Florence Bost, smart textile designer (Sable Chaud), teacher at ENAMOMA;
Francesco Delloro, teacher-researcher in material science (Mines Paris - PSL), engineering referent for the ENAMOMA program;
Colette Depeyre, assistant professor in strategy & organization (Université Paris Dauphine - PSL), academic leader of the ENAMOMA program;
Alice Giordani, e-textile designer, developer and consultant