Quick Look

Out of the Archive is a pilot study demonstrating the use of Vstitcher (Browzwear) software to digitally render museum garments and textiles for use in digital display and digital libraries. The goal of the study was to prove that digitally rendered garments could be used to help preserve garments that were not suitable for display by replacing them with a different, but equal, alternative to the garment itself. We also studied how Iowa State's Fashion Design and Fashion History classes utilized digital libraries for their coursework and found a way to make the archive more accessible to those students, both on campus and virtual.

 

Digital technology is a useful resource not only to students, but also to Universities around the world. An interactive, 3D digital archive allows other Universities to access and digitally display 3D-rendered garments and textiles on their campuses, without the need to have the physical object. Students around the world can observe these garments and get a feel for how they were designed and constructed.

 

I believe it's also possible to open up these new technologies to institutions beyond campuses, like history and art museums or fashion brands. There is potential to go beyond garments and render other artifacts that may not otherwise see the light of day, or just model a new textile on a piece from next season's collection.