Digital tools have become essential parts of a designer's workflow. By simplifying processes and enabling techniques that were not feasible through manual manufacturing alone. Using digitally-driven tools has allowed us to develop and experiment on new levels, as well as become more efficient, sustainable, and connected with like-minded creators.

Quite on the contrary, craftsmanship is associated with our past and is playing a big role in defining our heritage. Through generations, we have been passing on, preserving and practicing these specific skills in order to avoid losing them. This has become a difficult task in today's fast-paced world, where there is never enough time, there are too many distractions, and a craftsperson also hardly has the ability to compete.

Who is a crafter?

A crafter is, by definition, a skilled creator. However, mastering a craft does not just mean being able to produce something, but also to understand how it works, to be able to influence, and to alter it. As with art, it becomes a tool for expressing one's creativity. With the digitalisation of processes and the rise of the Metaverse, we are currently facing a need for skills that are increasingly digital. As a result, traditional craftsmanship seems to be stuck in the past, and an update becomes necessary to keep it alive. Our exploration of the concept of craftsmanship is fuelled by actively questioning the concept of craftsmanship in a world where the distinction between the physical and the digital is increasingly blurred. Embracing these new possibilities, we aim to expand our knowledge and evolve our art.

OLD Techniques - NEW Technologies

Fashion is a leading example of digital adoption and its possibilities. Combining traditional craftsmen's skills with digital tools allows us to redefine the concept and the future of fashion's craftsmanship.

Our digital wardrobe still requires all the components we used to manufacture in the physical world - trims, embellishments, threads, laces, and fabrics. In the virtual world, everything has to be built from scratch, which is fascinating because it forces us to study the original parts deeply. The construction and material properties of these materials and structures must be thoroughly understood in order to rebuild garments as digital twins in 3D.

Therefore, old knowledge and techniques are becoming relevant again and are needed now and in the future of fashion.

INTO THE WARP

With INTO THE WARP, we want to show the value of combining physical and digital craft, and how this synergy elevates skills in both directions. Bringing ancient knowledge of fabric making on a new level by developing digital woven textiles and making the process part of our weaving character. Seamlessly weaving physical, digital and virtual ways of creating into a unified process.

The key is to collaborate and exchange knowledge between physical and digital crafters. Eventually, we will not lose craftsmanship to the past when we grow with our times.