Julia Koerner on 3D-printed fashion and Black Panther costumes | Design for Life | Dezeen

Summary

Julia Karna, a designer based between Salzburg and Los Angeles, blends architecture, fashion, and product design with 3D printing in the costume world. In her collaboration with Ruth Carter for Marvel's *Black Panther*, she crafted intricate regal attire inspired by African Zulu patterns. Karna uses nature as a source of inspiration, creating designs like the Seed Day Jacket, which replicates the wings of a Madagascan sunset butterfly moth. Her Arit collection features reconfigurable garments made with 3D-printed joinery, merging organic and synthetic processes to explore the synergy between the two.

Takeaways

• 😀 Julia Karna is a designer working between architecture, fashion, and product design, with a focus on 3D printing in the costume world.
• 😀 She splits her time between Salzburg and Los Angeles, providing a unique cross-cultural perspective in her design work.
• 😀 Karna's work involves creating intricate geometric forms that push the boundaries of design, with no limitations in structure and geometry.
• 😀 She collaborated with Ruth Carter on the Marvel film 'Black Panther' to design regal attire, inspired by traditional African Zulu patterns.
• 😀 One of her design techniques involves 3D printing to create structures that are impossible to achieve with traditional methods.
• 😀 Karna uses nature as a source of inspiration, such as studying natural artifacts and translating their structures into prototypes for architecture and garments.
• 😀 In the Seed Day Jacket, she applied 3D printing to replicate the hair-like structures found on the wings of the Madagascan Sunset Butterfly Moth.
• 😀 She digitized microscopic photographs of butterfly wings, developing an algorithm to translate their colors into geometric 3D printed designs on fabric.
• 😀 The Arit Collection is a reconfigurable garment with detachable modules, showcasing the use of 3D-printed joinery to attach fabrics without sewing.
• 😀 Karna's approach combines computational and generative techniques, using parametric design to mimic natural color, rhythm, and proportions in her work.
• 😀 Her work exemplifies the synergy between organic and synthetic processes, blending natural inspiration with cutting-edge technology in design.

Q & A

What is Julia Karna's main area of expertise?

Julia Karna is a designer who works across various fields, including architecture, fashion, product design, and 3D printing, particularly in the costume world.

How does Julia Karna approach design in the costume world?

In the costume world, Julia Karna values the opportunity to create without limitations, particularly in terms of form and geometry, which can be explored through innovative methods such as 3D printing.

What was Julia Karna's collaboration with Ruth Carter for the film 'Black Panther' about?

Julia Karna collaborated with Ruth Carter to design regal attire for the costumes in 'Black Panther,' drawing inspiration from traditional African Zulu patterns and creating intricate structures that could only be realized through 3D printing.

How does Julia Karna draw inspiration from natural artifacts in her designs?

Julia Karna looks at the structures of natural artifacts and considers how these can be transformed into prototypes for facades or garments, often using algorithms to replicate the shapes and structures she observes.

What unique approach did Julia Karna take with the design of the Seed Day Jacket?

The Seed Day Jacket was designed using 3D printing to replicate the hair-like structures found on the wing of the Madagascan sunset butterfly moth. Julia Karna used microscopic photographs to create an algorithm that translated the butterfly's colors into geometries for the fabric.

What is the Arit Collection, and how does it innovate garment design?

The Arit Collection is a reconfigurable garment that allows different modules to be attached and detached. It is unique because it does not require sewing and instead uses 3D printed joinery to directly attach fabric, representing a new way of constructing garments.

What role do computational and generative techniques play in Julia Karna's design work?

Computational and generative techniques, such as parametric design, enable Julia Karna to mimic color, rhythm, and proportion as seen in nature, influencing both the aesthetic and functional aspects of her designs.

What is the significance of combining organic and synthetic processes in Julia Karna's work?

Julia Karna's work blends the beauty of organic and synthetic processes, allowing her to explore the synergy between these two elements and envision designs that integrate both natural inspiration and advanced technological methods.

How does Julia Karna use algorithms in her design process?

Julia Karna uses algorithms to digitize images of natural forms, such as butterfly wings, and translates these into geometries and colors that can then be 3D printed onto fabrics or used in other design elements.

What is the overall philosophy behind Julia Karna's design approach?

Julia Karna’s design philosophy centers around breaking traditional boundaries in design, utilizing advanced technologies like 3D printing and computational design to bring natural structures into both fashion and architectural design, creating a seamless fusion of nature and technology.