Woven fabrics are now entering the third dimension in the stand-out work of Noa Raviv.

Traditional woven fabric works in two dimensions: weft threads are woven through warp threads, creating the classic woven cloth that we have seen for centuries. When weft threads pass above and below warp threads, they create a single fabric layer. But what could happen if multiple woven layers were intertwined, and stacked together?

This question has been answered by designer and artist Noa Raviv, in her recent work, Hard Copy. Noa's work has always walked the fine line between fashion and technology. Her designs re-defined what smart textiles could be, which is why she has been invited to present her work in museums around the world. Forbes included her in their 30under30 list, and she was also chosen by Vogue as one of the best 16 young designers of 2016.

As she works to synthesize the contrasting worlds of harmony and chaos, tradition and innovation, Noa Raviv has brought 3D woven fabric into the spotlight.

Raviv Weaves in 3D to Create Hard Copy

Growing up in Tel Aviv, Israel, Noa Raviv quickly became familiar with the delicate balance between perfect harmony, and complete chaos. Inspired by the cultural complexity of the world she lived in, she was driven to create designs that embodied the orderly lines of geometry, but also the blossoming curves of creativity.

Noa attended the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, and received the prestigious Fini Leitersdorf Excellence Award for her final collection. Noa still lives and creates in Tel Aviv, and is currently fascinated with the possibilities presented by 3D printing. This new technology, and the ability to produce 3D woven fabric, is what brought her Hard Copy collection to life.

The collection was inspired by classical sculpture, specifically, Greek sculptures that once represented the ideals of a perfect human body. The precise yet flowing lines of the Greek sculptures were translated into digital drawings. But even though the sculptures that inspired her were meant to embody flawless forms, Raviv's drawings were far from perfect. In fact, they were intentionally distorted.

In an interview with the Silver Lake Voice, Noa Raviv described her imperfect process:

"I deliberately created defective digital images with 3D software. Deformed objects that were created by a command that the software is not able to execute. These objects cannot be printed, not produced in reality. They exist only in the virtual space." This tension between bi- and tri-dimensional design is what energized the Hard Copy final collection.

The Future of 3D Woven Fabric

Noa Raviv hopes that 3D woven fabric will play a significant role in the future of high fashion. ThreeASFOUR and Travis Fitch worked together to create a similarly exciting 3D printed fashion line, creating durable yet flexible dresses that merged art with fashion. Before 3D printing, this specific form of textile simply did not exist. These new, exciting woven fabrics allow for a four-dimensional stretch--not only up and down and left and right, but also forward and backward.

New and experimental designs are revealed each season, with designers, artists, and engineers collaborating on clothing projects in an unprecedented way. The future of woven fabric will reveal the new heights reached by the partnership of fiber arts and technology.

This article has been posted with permission from synzenbe.com