Anouk Wipprecht's fashion tech lab is a new hub for smart clothing experiments

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Fashion tech designer Anouk Wipprecht is joining forces with the art and tech nonprofit Codame to run a new R&D studio in downtown San Francisco.

Wipprecht, who has created experimental smart dresses with Intel and Audi, will serve as creative director for Codame Labs which plans to focus on cross-discipline collaboration between the fashion and tech industries. And it could be where the next generation of futuristic smart clothing and textiles is made.

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"The lab will complement our mission to bring together artistic and technical people for shared interactive experiences," said Codame's founder Bruno Fonzi. "With Anouk bringing her expertise in fashion and wearable technology, this promises to be an incredible year, and we look forward to seeing the prototypes the lab inspires our artists to create."

Anouk Wipprecht's fashion tech lab is a new hub for smart clothing experiments

"Codame Labs will be a place where hardware gets tested, robotics get styled, and electronic textiles are crafted in order to push for a new generation of devices that aren't handled but wearable" said Wipprecht, who will consult on fashion, technology, machine learning and interactive design.

The Dutch designer is known for her headline-grabbing garments such as her Spider Dress, a garment with an embedded protection system which keeps others at bay via animated robotic arms that extend to defend its wearer.

"Codame Labs is determined to playfully produce amazing projects by giving artists access to the newest gadgets and tools, including 3D scanners, 3D printers, virtual reality tools, micro controllers, and tiny sensor modules" she said.

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The fashion tech lab is now seeking proposals from designers, artists and engineers considering for its 2016 showcase with a four day festival planned for October. Artists already involved include Lisa Lang, founder of bespoke fashion tech startup Elecktro Couture. Anyone who is interested can pitch a project here.

While Codame Labs won't necessarily accelerate wearable tech products, it does promise to foster relationships between designers and brands. This will undoubtedly inform not only the products we're actually buying, but also the processes that bring them to market.

At a time when many wearables are beginning to look and act the same, this art-for-discovery's sake approach may be just what the industry needs to shake things up.

Anouk Wipprecht's fashion tech lab is a new hub for smart clothing experiments


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Amanda Cosco

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Amanda is a future-focused entrepreneur with a decade of experience in journalism and marketing. She is most known for her work at the intersection of fashion and technology.

Amanda’s reporting on digital culture, wearable technology, and retail innovation has been published by The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, WWD, Adweek, and more.

Amanda is most known for Electric Runway, her ongoing online project with a mission to document how technology is transforming the $2.4 trillion fashion industry. Through Electric Runway, Amanda has presented as a keynote speaker to several international delegations on fashion innovation, from the US to Estonia, Barcelona, Finland, Hong Kong, Manilla, and more. Amanda has reported from the front lines of every stage of the fashion supply chain, from garment factories in Bangladesh to runway shows in Berlin.

Amanda holds a Master of Arts from Ryerson University, a Bachelor of Arts from York University, and a certificate of digital media skills from The Ontario College of Art and Design. She is the Chair of the Fashion Business & Management Professional Advisory Committee at Centennial College and a certified drone pilot.

Amanda appears regularly on TV and radio programs as an expert commentator on technology and innovation. She lives in Toronto.


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