Machine made

Mechanical Couture, an exhibition at the Design Musuem Holon examines the relationship between craftmanship and mass production.

Exploring the ways in which machines are contributing to a new definition of haute couture, Mechanical Couture: Fashioning a New Order promises to be a groundbreaking exhibition.

Presented by the Design Museum Holon in Israel and running until 8 January 2011, Mechanical Couture showcases the work of some top names in haute couture. Haute couture has always been synonomous with the bespoke, superior quality, craftsmanship and the ultimate luxury and exclusivity. In contrast to this is mass-production, allowed by machinery, and often associated with lower standards.

Showcasing the commissioned works of local and international designers who used technology and machinery to achieve their craft, Mechanical Couture attempts to redefine our understanding of haute couture.

Issey Miyake creative director Dai Fujiwara, Shelley Fox and Marloes ten Bhömer are all featured in the exhibition with their explorations that subvert prevalent notion of handwork and craftsmanship in fashion.

A-POC (a piece of cloth) is a project by Fujiwara and James Dyson that unites mass-production with customisation. This is illustrated by feeding thread into an industrial knitting machine, which is programmed by a computer. The thread later re-emerges as an innovative fabric with various shapes and patterns.