Fashion and Tech: Ying Gao

Clothing can be bold, imaginative and a unique form of self-expression. Designer Ying Gao has taken this notion a step further to create clothes with a life of their own. Through the use of light, sound, texture and movement, Gao’s designs challenge the idea of clothes as merely an accessory. Instead she makes them a talking point – with some garments doing the talking for themselves.

“I really believe that for fashion to be meaningful it needs to be deeply experimental.”
– Ying Gao in an interview with Azure Magazine

 
Can’t and Won’t

The Can’t and Won’t dresses use fluid, hypnotising movements that are set in motion by another person’s presence. They stop moving as soon as the spectator has an emotional reaction.

Gao created this collection to tackle society’s tendency to overreact. The dresses challenge the watcher to remain impassive and neutral – which could be tricky when faced with a living dress.

Possible Tomorrows

To prevent nosy friends scrolling through your phone, you probably have fingerprint recognition to keep them out. Gao inverts this security measure with Possible Tomorrows.

Using a fingerprint recognition system, they can only be activated by stranger’s touch. The garments act as a conversation starter by openly interacting with new people, thereby encouraging further communication.

(No)where (Now)here

Ever find yourself staring at someone’s outfit (and hoping they don’t notice)?

Gao’s (No)where (Now)here dresses are embedded with eye-tracking technology, causing them to ripple and move when activated by another’s gaze. They look equally as spellbinding in the dark, illuminating like glowing jellyfish.

Incertitudes

Voice-activated features are commonplace in phones and cars – but Ying Gao has added clothing to that list. Incertitudes are striking white garments covered in tiny pins that fluctuate at the sound of a voice.

Based on feelings of uncertainty and misunderstanding, the garments detect sound and respond to the spectator’s voice, engaging in a unique kind of conversation.

“Fashion designers have known for a long time that they are working with a fleeting material that will never be timeless. The integration of electronic technology seems to modify that creative process.”
– Ying Gao in an interview with Azure Magazine

Have you created animated or robotic clothing?

If you’re a designer with an eye on the future of fashion, we’re always looking for new additions to our newest blog series: Fashion and Tech.

Get in touch and let us know.

Latest Posts