*Featured image by Ger Ger
2019 Oscars: Austrian Designer Julia Koerner brings 3D-Printing to the Oscars
For the first time, 3D-Printing hits the Academy Awards. The winner of the Academy Award for Costume Design Ruth E Carter for the Black Panther brought on Julia Koerner to develop the remarkable 3D-Printed costumes of Queen Ramonda character. These included the Queen’s Crown and Shoulder Mantle. The Black Panther won Academy Awards.
Julia Koerner is an award-winning Austrian Designer and Professor at UCLA’s School of Architecture. She specializes in 3D design for 3D-Printing. Her past works include 3D-printed haute-couture for Iris Van Herpen, and Chanel’s Maison Lesage; both of which were
recently exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) show entitled Manus x Machina.
The 3D designs are developed and simulated in 3D-space utilizing algorithms and scripts to generate the patterns and three- dimensional effects that are customized to the wearer. The technology allows Koerner to research and develop highly complex and intricate designs, which cannot be fabricated in any other way. The Material used is a strong and exible polymer that is highly durable, the printing process itself takes several days within the laser sintering machine.
The technique used for 3D-Printing Queen Ramonda’s costumes is known as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), where a bed of powder is fused by a laser beam microscopically, layer by layer to fabricate the intricate 3D designs developed in the computer by Koerner. The costumes were manufactured by Materialise in Belgium, who Koerner has been working with for over a decade.
Shortly after receiving the Academy Award, Ruth E Carter joined the Oscars most sought-after Vanity Fair party wearing a 3D-Printed Statement Piece designed by Julia Koerner. Koerner says: “Over the past two months, I developed a customizedstatement piece for Ruth, we found inspiration in African imagery from the photographer Seydou Kaïta, and digitally crafted afro-futuristic patterns to an asymmetrical ensemble that references the 1950’s fashion designs of Balenciaga”. To sublime the piece, Julia Koerner worked with Swarovski to integrate their cutting edge line of crystals onto the garment in a novel technique, which is a rst of its kind. The commission of the piece is combined with Ruth Carter’s dress developed by the renowned B Michael America.
About Julia Koerner
Julia Koerner is an award-winning Austrian designer working at the convergence of architecture, product and fashion design. She is internationally recognized for design innovation in 3D-printing. Julia’s work stands out at the top of these disciplines. Her designs have been featured in the National Geographic Magazine, VICE, WIRED and the New York Times among other publications. Museum and Institutions which have exhibited her work include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (MET), Palais des Beau Arts in Brussels, Museum of Applied Arts MAK Vienna, Ars Electronica, the Art Institute of Chicago and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta among others. The constantly intriguing aspect of Julia’s work is its embodiment of a beautiful organic aesthetic.
Julia is founder of JK Design GmbH, specialising in design for 3D-printing. In 2015 Julia launched an entirely 3D-Printed ready-to-wear collection entitled ‘Sporophyte.’ Her collaborations involved 3D Printed fashion pieces developed with Haute Couture Houses for Paris Fashion week and 3D printed costumes for Hollywood entertainment productions such as Marvel’s Black Panther in collaboration with Ruth Carter. Most recently she collaborated with Swarovski on a showpiece which displays Swarovski’s continued strive for innovation and the early developments of 3D-printing technology with glass.
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