Luxury fashion house, Dior, debuted 3D printed shoes on the runway with its Men’s winter collection at Paris Fashion Week, setting the tone for future technology and innovation within the company and high fashion.
After record high year-end earnings, Dior thrusted into the new year with even more ambitious plans for both the market and runway—starting from the ground, up. The maison recently shared its shoe-making process and forward-thinking inspiration behind its formation.
Head of Dior menswear designs, Thibo Denis, implemented a handful of 3D printed Derby loafers and boots into the Fall/Winter 2023 Kim Jones show. Analysts noted that “the inclusion of 3D printed apparel in fashion weeks around the world with increasing regularity may be indicative of the progress 3D printing is making in mainstream, end-use applications.”
Not only does the process illustrate technological advancements within the industry, but it demonstrates a much simpler approach to manufacturing. Such a wave suggests that the future of fashion could hold less laborious methods of production and diminishing off-shore factories.
The designs also aid the retail industry’s efforts for environmentally-friendly solutions. Dior said that its latest runway shoe is 80% reusable and that thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the textile used for the printing process, is crafted from entirely raw materials and formulations.
Athletic shoe brands like Adidas and Reebok have been using 3D technology for midsoles since 2017, but this recent integration has reinforced analyst predictions of future trends. Joining the race for sustainable and innovative garments has further lit the way for other high fashion brands, such as Givenchy and Zellerfeld.
Other 3D creations made it to Paris as well yet Dior is considerably the largest luxury designer to implement the technology into its lookbook. The designs themselves are also comparatively the most practical ready-to-wear shoes for both buyers and sellers looking to imitate.
This runway decision follows the reopening of Dior’s Paris gallery last March, which contains thousands of 3D replicas inspired by the company’s heritage collection. The company additionally confirmed its plans for future developments beyond footwear—supporting predictions of 3D printing market growth in the fashion industry.
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