Ever wished you could change your outfit at the drop of a hat? Or maybe download a dress you see online? Well now you can – at the push of a button.
During a jaw-dropping moment at Adobe Max 2023, researcher Christine Dierk unveiled a dress that can change colour and pattern almost every second, like a wearable screen.
She described the outfit as a ‘digital dress that brings fabric to life’, switching designs from diamonds to stripes to zigzags to cheers and applause from the crowd.
The strapless knee-length design moves with the wearer – presumably meaning you can sit down without breaking it – and displays designs created with Adobe programs including Firefly, its AI image generator.
‘Unlike traditional clothing, which is static, Primrose allows me to refresh my look in a moment,’ said Ms Dierk.
‘Fashion doesn’t have to be static, it can be dynamic and even interactive – and we’re excited for a future where there’s more ways to express yourself.’
The designs are switched using a simple handheld button, using technology dubbed Project Primrose, but Ms Dierk added the designs can also change automatically.
While there is no information on how much the dress would cost or even if it will be available to the public, the company hopes the technology can one day be adopted for other items, such as handbags or sofas. The goal is to allow people to easily refresh their look instead of buying new goods – a fast change, instead of fast fashion.
One dress, three looks
Christine Dierk modelling one dress, three looks (Picture: Adobe Max 2023)
Surprisingly, the technology was first developed for smart windows, a type of glass that can change its reflective properties using ‘reflective-backed polymer-dispersed liquid crystal’.
This same technology is used in the dress, changing the light reflected from its surface and therefore changing the colour and pattern of the dress. It also has the added benefit of being easily cut to shape.
The dress is very much in the prototype stage, but shows what could be the future of fashion – and means never again will anyone face the horror of turning up to an event in the same outfit.