The impacts to business are potentially tremendous. One can print personalized goods for your own style. Printing Spare Parts can be printed on-demand and delivered to you within days. They can also be printed at scale and replicated quickly by printing an entire batch. These resources aren't limited to consumers alone. Progressive companies like Nokia have made their STL 3D printing files available to the 3D printing community, encouraging them to print out their own cases.
While a number of the evening’s key figures were fashionably late due to rail delays, Vogue’s recent Fashion Night Out was deemed a success, with Manchester’s streets buzzing with excited trend-followers and star-spotters.
This year’s show marked the first time that the event has been held in Manchester and the city’s Harvey Nichols store combined the occasion with its 10 year anniversary, inviting 10 designers and star guests.
Fashion designer Henry Holland had travelled from London to spend time back in his hometown. The expert spoke of his nostalgia and the difference between the people of Manchester and London.
In my humble opinion, I've found that 3D printers for consumers need some time to mature. I've taken a class at TechShop to learn that the level of skill requires a hobbyist and tinkering capability. It's not just "Press print." To meet this need, and to print using high quality materials, Shapeways offers 3D printing services on demand, and ships your products to you.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to tour Shapeways "Factory of the Future" in Queens, NY, and got to see first-hand how they do this. They offer a variety of designers and artisans, who can custom design your products, or tools that enable you to customize existing products. Truly, the possibilities are limitless. With the capability to print in 35 different materials (and new ones coming), Shapeways has high-end, professional grade, 3D printers that can print in color, acrylic, and also polish and dye process to color your products.
According to Holland, Manchester has “peacocks” while London citizens seem to dress down a little more. The fashion designer also believes that the area’s shops have improved in the last decade.
Vogue’s Fashion Night out attracts plenty of designers and celebrities, although it has to be promoted beforehand. Print companies in Manchester often get involved in similar events by supplying poster and flyer printing. Manchester retailers will certainly benefit from the crowds of shoppers who turned out on the night.
Michelle Collins was just one of the celebrities to arrive at the well-publicised event, wearing a hat, fur gilet and leather trousers. Model Daisy Lowe was also at Selfridges, helping to sell a specially-designed range of t-shirts.
A style-focused Q&A session was held by the creative director for Topshop, Kate Phelan, who is also a Contributing Fashion Editor; it attracted more than 200 people.
An assortment of 3D printed items, accompanied by Duann Scott (left), myself (center), and Savannah, (right) at the Shapeways 3D "Factory of the Future" in Queens, NYC. Behind us are rows of high-end 3D printers, polishing machines, designers, QA teams, and operations experts.
Trying to configure, calibrate, and properly print a 3D object is a clunky experience. Fortunately, there are services that enable this: Meet Shapeways, a 3D factory available now for you.
