Inspiration:
The design explores digital setae pattern and multi-colour 3D printing on fabric, inspired by microscopic butterfly wing patterns. Butterfly wings are made up of membranes which are covered by thousands of colourful scales and hairs, plate-like setae. Photographs of the Madagascan Sunset Butterfly wing setae are digitized into an algorithm which translates the colour pixels into 3D bristle patterns which correspond to the form of the garment design.

Materials and techniques:
The digital designs are 3D printed with an innovative technology, without any support material and directly on fabric. The relation between the colourful rigid setae and the flexible fabric create enigmatic visual effects when the garment is in motion. The design has been featured the exhibition was called: “Designs for Different Futures” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Walker Art Center in the US. 2019-2021.

Design: Julia Koerner

Julia Koerner is an award-winning Austrian designer working at the convergence of architecture, product and fashion design. She is internationally recognised for design innovation in 3D-Printing, Julia's work stands out at the top of these disciplines. Her designs have been featured in the National Geographic Magazine, VICE, WIRED and the New York Times among other publications. In 2019 ARCHINECT named Julia Koerner "Architecture’s Queen of 3D Fabrication”. Museums and Institutions which have exhibited her work include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (MET), the Art Institute of Chicago, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Museum of Applied Arts MAK Vienna, Ars Electronica, among others. The constantly intriguing aspect of Julia’s work is its embodiment of a beautiful organic aesthetic.