dress in motion
The Kinematics Dress is a technical achievement but its also an article of clothing. We designed it with comfort and durability in mind, aiming to make a 3D-printed garment that you can actually wear, one that invites movement instead of constraining it.
![](http://www.tumblr.com/share/photo?source=https%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Fi.php%3F%2F000%2F803%2Fdress2-front-set%2Clarge.1417365458.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Falbums%2Fdress-sketches%2F" title="dress sketches"%3Edress sketches%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%3C/p%3E&click_thru=http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Falbums%2Fdress-sketches%2F){kind=link}
![](http://www.tumblr.com/share/photo?source=https%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Fi.php%3F%2F000%2F792%2Fcloseup-128%2Clarge.1417364320.gif&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Falbums%2Fdress-in-motion%2F" title="dress in motion"%3Edress in motion%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe+Kinematics+Dress+is+a+technical+achievement+but+its+also+an+article+of+clothing.+We+designed+it+with+comfort+and+durability+in+mind%2C+aiming+to+make+a+3D-printed+garment+that+you+can+actually+wear%2C+one+that+invites+movement+instead+of+constraining+it.%3C/p%3E&click_thru=http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Falbums%2Fdress-in-motion%2F){kind=link}
![](http://www.tumblr.com/share/photo?source=https%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Fi.php%3F%2F000%2F789%2Fdress-breakOut1%2Clarge.1417363939.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Falbums%2Fdress-fabrication%2F" title="dress fabrication"%3Edress fabrication%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe+Kinematics+Dress+is+fabricated+in+nylon+by+3D+printing+with+Selection+Laser+Sintering.+It+was+printed+in+NYC+by+Shapeways%3C/p%3E&click_thru=http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Falbums%2Fdress-fabrication%2F){kind=link}
![](http://www.tumblr.com/share/photo?source=https%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Fi.php%3F%2F000%2F794%2FkinematicsDress-back-4x3%2Clarge.1417365941.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Falbums%2Fkinematics-dress-1%2F" title="Kinematics Dress 1"%3EKinematics Dress 1%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe+first+Kinematics+Dress+was+acquired+by+the+Museum+of+Modern+Art+for+its+permanent+collection.%0A%0A%3Cb%3Edetails%3C%2Fb%3E%3Cbr%3E%0A2%2C279+unique+triangular+panels%3Cbr%3E%0A3%2C316+hinges%3Cbr%3E%0A3D-printed+as+a+single+piece+at+Shapeways+Factory+in+NYC%3Cbr%3Ematerial%3A+nylon%3Cbr%3E%0Aprint+technology%3A+Selective+Laser+Sintering%0A+%3C/p%3E&click_thru=http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Falbums%2Fkinematics-dress-1%2F){kind=link}
![](http://www.tumblr.com/share/photo?source=https%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Fi.php%3F%2F000%2F794%2FkinematicsDress-back-4x3%2Clarge.1417365941.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Fsets%2Fkinematics-dress%2F" title="Kinematics Dress"%3EKinematics Dress%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EComposed+of+thousands+of+unique+interlocking+components%2C+each+dress+is+3D+printed+as+a+single+folded+piece+and+requires+no+assembly.+The+Kinematics+Dress+represents+a+new+approach+to+manufacturing+which+tightly+integrates+design%2C+simulation%2C+and+digital+fabrication+to+create+complex%2C+customized+products.%0A%0ABodies+are+3-dimensional+but+clothing+is+traditionally+made+from+flat+material+that+is+cut+and+painstakingly+pieced+together.+In+contrast%2C+Kinematics+garments+are+created+in+3D%2C+directly+from+body+scans+and+require+absolutely+no+assembly.+We+employ+a+smart+folding+strategy+to+compress+Kinematics+garments+into+a+smaller+form+for+efficient+fabrication.+By+folding+the+garments+prior+to+printing+them%2C+we+can+make+complex+structures+larger+than+a+3D+printer+that+unfold+into+their+intended+shape.%0A%0AThe+custom-fit+dress+is+an+intricately+patterned+structure+of+thousands+unique+triangular+panels+interconnected+by+hinges%2C+all+3D+printed+as+a+single+piece+in+nylon.+While+each+component+is+rigid%2C+in+aggregate%2C+they+behave+as+a+continuous+fabric+allowing+the+dress+to+flexibly+conform+and+fluidly+flow+in+response+to+body+movement.+Unlike+traditional+fabric%2C+this+textile+is+not+uniform%3B+it+varies+in+rigidity%2C+drape%2C+flex%2C+porosity+and+pattern+through+space.+The+entire+piece+is+customizable%2C+from+fit+and+style+to+flexibility+and+pattern%2C+with+Kinematics+Cloth%2C+our+app+for+clothing.%0A%0A%3Ch3%3Emuseum+collections%3C%2Fh3%3EThe+Kinematics+Dress+is+included+in+the+permanent+collections+of+the+Museum+of+Modern+Art+%28New+York%2C+NY%29%2C+the+Cooper+Hewitt%2C+Smithsonian+Design+Museum+%28New+York%2C+NY%29%2C+the+Museum+of+Fine+Arts+Boston+%28Boston%2C+MA%29+and+the+Museum+of+Applied+Arts+and+Sciences+%28Sydney%2C+Australia%29.%3C/p%3E&click_thru=http%3A%2F%2Fn-e-r-v-o-u-s.com%2Fprojects%2Findex.php%3F%2Fsets%2Fkinematics-dress%2F){kind=link}