STAND A CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR DESIGNS PARADED DOWN THE CATWALK IN ASIA’S FIRST EVER 3D PRINT FASHION SHOW

Materialise and Melinda Looi On The Hunt For The 10 Best Accessory Designs Through The 3D Printing Fashion Accessory Design Contest

Kuala Lumpur – Have you ever imagined what it would be like to become a famous designer, be the toast of the town and the darling of the local and international fashion fraternity? Now you have the chance to turn your dream into reality through a 3D Printing Fashion Accessory Design Contest that will choose the 10 best designs to be unveiled at Asia’s first ever 3D Print Fashion Show.

The contest is organised by Materialise, a Belgian-based pioneer in Additive Manufacturing (also popularly known as 3D printing) software and solution, in collaboration with award-winning Malaysian fashion designer Melinda Looi, who will be designing an exclusive collection for the fashion show and also co-judge the contest. It aims to inspire designers to express their creativity through the endless possibilities of Additive Manufacturing (AM).

Materialise representive explaining 3D printing to guest.

Wim Michiels, Managing Director of Materialise said the global manufacturing sector is at the dawn of the next Industrial Revolution with AM, which has the huge potential to revolutionise how things are designed, made and distributed.

“AM allows you to design products that were previously impossible with conventional methods. Materialise’s services and solutions help bring great ideas to life and give people the freedom to design their products exactly how, when and in whichever shape that they want.

 “We are delighted to work together with Melinda Looi to generate awareness about AM and challenge professional and budding designers as well as design enthusiasts to unleash their imagination and creative force with AM technology,” said Michiels.

Mr Wim Michiels (L) & Melinda Looi (R) view some 3D printed items.

This is not the first time Materialise has worked with noted fashion designers. During the Paris Fashion Week in January this year, Materialise collaborated with Dutch designer, Iris van Herpen to showcase an intricate dress, 3D printed by the company as part of the designer’s Haute Couture show, ‘Voltage’. The partnership marked the ninth piece created together Materialise.

Other collaborations include the designer’s 3D printed escapism dress which made it to TIME Magazine’s ‘The 50 Best Inventions’ list in 2011 and a 3D printed dress involving a very large printer and liquid resin for van Herpen’s Autumn/Winter 2012/2013 collection – Hybrid Holism which one awestruck spectator compared to ‘liquid honey’.

“We are committed to accelerating the implementation of AM technology in Asia, particularly Malaysia and believe that our collaboration with Melinda Looi will help make AM more accessible to everyday people, break traditional product design barriers and inspire any industry to apply AM in developing unique and individual designs,” Michiels added.

Mr Wim Michiels (L) & Melinda Looi (R) with a 3D printed Melinda Looi logo.

Established in 2000, Materialise Malaysia is the headquarters for Asia, located in Kuala Lumpur. As one of three core R&D sites in the company, Materialise Malaysia plays an important role in product development and driving Materialise’s bio-medical services worldwide. Materialise Malaysia is dedicated to foster young talent and set up Materialise Academy to transfer knowledge and train fresh graduates in C++ programs as well as offering internships to students who wish to gain an early insight into the world of AM.

Meanwhile, Melinda Looi said exciting and beautiful things happen when art and technology meet. “The international fashion industry, especially in Europe is embracing AM technology and coming up with attractively crafted pieces, exemplifying the unlimited potential of AM.

“I am honoured to be the first Asian fashion designer to design a collection using AM technology. It is quite a new technology in this part of the world, and relatively unknown outside of specific industries. So far, the design process has been an eye-opening and highly educational experience for me. This contest by Materialise offers designers around the world an opportunity to work with a technology capable of bringing one’s wildest creative visions to life,”   said Looi.

Small-scale 3D Printing in process.

“I am eagerly anticipating what the participating designers have to offer and look forward to seeing their creations brought to life at the 3D Print Fashion Show later in June,” Looi added.

The 3D Accessory Design Contest runs from March 8 to May 5, 2013 and invites participants to explore AM technology and design a fashion accessory such as bracelets, rings, necklaces, belts, hats, purses or anything ingenious that comes to mind around the theme of ‘birds’.

All 10 winning designs will be 3D printed and exhibited during the 3D Print Fashion Show on June 14, 2013 which will be attended by local and international media.

The designs will also be featured on the i.materialise online gallery and shared with the rest of the world. A few exquisite and exceptional designs may also get the opportunity to be showcased in the .MGX showroom in Belgium.

Apart from working together with key players in the fashion world, Materialise boasts the best of modern and traditional craftsmanship, manufactured using a variety of AM methods through its .MGX collection. An extensive selection of award-winning .MGX pieces is currently on display in China as part of the IndustrialRevolution.MGX exhibition at Shanghai’s celebrated 1933 building. The exhibition, which will last for a period of six months, was initiated following the increasing interest in .MGX products in Asia, and will be the largest display of .MGX pieces ever shown in the region.

Materialise also enables everyday people to try their hand at AM and create a truly customised item through its easy-to-use online service (http://i.materialise.com/). There is also an option to feature the items in the i.materialise gallery and offer them for sale to the public.


争取机会让您的设计登上亚洲首个3D时装秀的舞台
Materialise与Melinda Looi 要通过3D配饰设计时装大赛寻找十大最佳配饰设计

（吉隆坡讯）您是否有想象过自己成为著名设计师，成为民众敬仰的对象，以及本地与国际时装业的宠儿？现在您有机会通过3D打印时装配饰设计大赛（3D Printing Fashion Accessory Design Contest） 实现梦想， 争取成为十大最佳设计， 并登上亚洲首个3D时装秀 的舞台。

这项比赛是由Materialise与马来西著名时装设计师Melinda Looi 联合举办。 Materialise是一家位于比利时的“添加层制造” （Additive Manufacturing 或简称AM， 普遍被称为3D打印） 软件与解决方案先驱公司。Melinda Looi 将是比赛评审之一。 比赛的目的是要启发设计师通过AM技术所提供的无线可能来表达他们的创意。

Materialise董事经理米希尔斯（Wim Michiels）表示， AM让全球制造业处于新一轮工业革命的起点，因为它拥有巨大潜力，为设计、制造与分销业带来革命性的改变。

“AM让你设计出过去无法以传统方式设计出来的产品。Materialise的服务与方案让构思成真，赋予人们自由，依据本身的方式、时间和任何形状去设计。”

“我们很高兴能与Melinda Looi 一起提升对AM的醒觉， 并挑战专业 与新进设计师，以及设计发烧友， 通过AM技术发挥他们的想象力 与创造力。”

这并非Materialise首次与著名时装设计师合作。在今年1月的巴黎时装周（Paris Fashion Week）期间， Materialise 与荷兰设计师赫本 （Iris van Herpen）合作， 展示一件由该公司3D打印的复杂服装， 作为赫本高级时装秀“Voltage”的作品之一。 这项合作是与Materialise共同创造的第9件作品。

其他合作作品包括赫本的3D打印escapism服装，登上《时代杂志》2011年“50大最佳发明”排行榜，以及另一件以3D打印，需要一个巨型打印机和树脂液体制作的服装，属于赫本的2012/2013年秋/冬系列“Hybrid Holism”。 这件让人震撼的作品被一位观众 比喻为“液态蜂蜜”。

米希尔斯补充说，“我们正致力加快AM技术在亚洲的推行，尤其是马来西亚。我们相信与 Melinda Looi 的合作将有助于让一般人更容易接触AM， 以突破传统的产品设计障碍， 并启发其他领域采纳AM技术，开发独特与个性化的设计。”

马来西亚Materialise成立于2000年，是该公司在亚洲的总部，地点位于吉隆坡。作为该公司三大主要研究与发展中心之一，马来西亚Materialise在产品开发和推动Materialise全球生物医疗服务方面扮演重要角色。马来西亚Materialise致力于培养年轻人才， 并设立Materialise 学院展开技术转移、 培训毕业生掌握C++程序， 同时为有兴趣了解AM技术的学生提供实习。

Melinda Looi 表示，当艺术与技术相遇时，就会产生精彩与美丽的事物。

“国际时尚界尤其是欧洲，正在采用AM技术，并制创造出迷人的作品，体现AM的无限潜能。”

“我感到非常光荣能成为首个采用AM技术一个系列服装的亚洲服装设计师。这项技术在本区域相当新颖，除了特定行业之外，并不为人所知。至今为止，它的设计过程让我大开眼界，是一个丰富的学习体验。这个由Materialise带来的比赛，提供机会让全球设计师采用一项能让他们天马行空的想象力化为真实的技术。”

Melinda Looi补充说， “我迫不及待想看看参赛设计师即将创造的作品， 并期待看到他们的作品在今年6月的3D时装秀上成为事实。”

3D配饰设计大赛从2013年3月8日进行至5月5日，邀请参加者发掘AM技术，并设计时装配
饰例如手镯、戒指、项链、腰带、帽子、皮包或任何原创作品，但必须围绕着“鸟”的主题。

所有10个得奖设计将以3D打印，并在2013年6月14日，于获得本地与国际媒体出席的3D时装秀上展示。这些设计将出现在i.Materialise网上展示厅，与全球共享。几个精致出色的设计也有机会在比利时的.MGX展示厅里展出。

除了与时装界的主要人物合作，Materialise也拥有最优秀的现代与传统工艺，采用各种AM方法，通过其.MGX系列来制造。

目前种类繁多的.MGX获奖作品正在中国展出，属于上海1933老场坊 IndustrialRevolution.MGX展览的一部分。这项为期6个月的展览，是基于亚洲对.MGX产品越来越浓厚的兴趣而举办，是该区域有史以来最大型的.MGX作品展览。

Materialise也通过简易的网上服务（http://i.Materialise.com/），让一般人尝试采用AM技术来创造真正个性化的物品。他们也可以选择在i.Materialise展示厅展示这些物品，并向公众出售。