'Smart Second Skin' Dress

‘SmartSecondSkin’ is an artefact that was designed in collaboration with Adeline Andre haute couture (Paris) to illustrate a responsive fabric inspired by neurobiological delivery mechanisms found under skin. This involved the recent development of the miniaturisation of technology in olfaction science and multi-sensory fabrics, with a purpose to improving ‘well-being’.

As a designer working in the field of wearable technology, I developed a creative garment prototype which was an interface between the body and medical micro-tubing.

My resultant garment was developed as a fabric, to test and prepare the basis for a future interactive system, which fused MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical-systems) with textile elements, to create a scent delivery system that adds function to fashion design.

I researched the project in the healthcare sector (geriatric care and people living with HIV & AIDS) and the idea was originally inspired by my own bipolar affective disorder diagnosis in 1993; I. The project was funded by an AHRB Small Award (2002).

My dress was presented as an interactive, multi-sensory display during the ‘Touch Me’ exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum (June-August 2005). Further presentations included international technology catwalk shows at Banff New Media Institute (2004), SIGGRAPH, Los Angeles (2005), FashionFuture Event, Pisa (2006), IFAI Expo, Las Vegas (2007), and conferences including e-Culture Fair, Amsterdam (2003), user_mode, Tate Modern, London (2003), Cheltenham Festival of Science (2004), AVANTEX, Frankfurt (2005), Wearable Futures, Wales (2005) FuturoTextiles, Lille (2006-7), Banff New Media Institute (2004), Feed Festival (2004), IFAI Expo, USA (2007) all with international participants.

I wrote an article documenting my process in the peer-reviewed journal published by Archetypal in ‘The Future of the 20th Century: Collecting, Interpreting & Conserving Modern Materials’ postprints by C.Rogerson and P.Garside, UK (ISBN-1904982174).

My research has been extensively cited in the academic and international press, reviewed by the former CEO of the AHRC for the British Association Magazine, and discussed in numerous books including ‘X-treme Fashion’ by C.Smith, published by Prestel Verlag, Germany (ISBN-3791331752) and ‘Fashioning The Future’ by S.Lee published by Thames & Hudson Ltd, UK (ISBN-0500512612). I

The dress has been featured in a Knowledge Transfer case study on the AHRC website since 2007, and an RCUK 'Impact' event in Whitehall.