High-tech fashion is here to stay! Promising photographic precision and infinite color possibilities, digital printing first attracted innovators like Alexander McQueen; now even High Street labels like H&M are tapping the tech to produce affordable, versatile styles. So are local lines like Cambridge's Constrvct, which allows users to customize digitally printed dresses with their choice of photo — say, the stunning NASA satellite image seen here. And 3D printers are likewise churning out jaw-dropping pieces: take the accessories of local designer Gideon Weisz, who riffs on sound waves and Möbius strips, and Somerville studio Nervous System, which draws inspiration from coral, algae, and other organic structures. We tried out such futuristic fashions at MIT's Frank Gehry–designed — and damn stylish — Stata Center, home to the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. That's where we met Emma, a robot whose runway walk gave our models a run for their money.
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» Constrvct dress, $350 at constrvct.com; Nervous System bracelets, $60–$80 at n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com; Julian Hakes "Mojito" shoes, $275–$300 at mojitoshoes.net
A MAN OF MANY TALENTS
BRIT ARCHITECT JULIAN HAKES NOT ONLY DESIGNED THESE SPIRALING "MOJITO" HEELS; HE'S ALSO ONE OF THE MINDS BEHIND THE NEW NORTH BANK BRIDGE CONNECTING CAMBRIDGE AND CHARLESTOWN.