Issey Miyake Eyes presents UROKO, a sunglasses model that fuses art, fashion, and digital manufacturing. Its design, inspired by the ceramics of artist Shoji Kamoda, challenges traditional optics with eight concave lenses arranged in two rows. The key lies in its production using 3D printing, which allows achieving the complex curved geometry and an intentionally irregular surface finish, emulating the unique texture of handmade ceramics. This approach marks a milestone in the creation of high-end accessories.
Digital manufacturing for impossible geometries and textures 🌀
UROKO exemplifies how 3D printing overcomes the limitations of traditional manufacturing methods for fashion accessories. The frame, produced with this technology, integrates the structure of multiple concave lenses that curve inward, achieving a more compact profile. But the true added value lies in the finish. 3D printing allows millimeter control over the surface, creating an irregular and unique texture in each piece, something economically unfeasible with standard molds. This transcends mere production to become a tool for artistic expression and authenticity.
Beyond the product: the new digital materiality 🔬
This model, part of the Dancing Texture collection, symbolizes a profound change. It's no longer just about printing an existing design, but exploiting the inherent capabilities of digital manufacturing to define a new materiality. The ceramic texture, visible screws, and complex geometry are physical narratives driven by technology. 3D printing thus consolidates itself as the pillar for creating unique aesthetic languages, where controlled imperfection and geometric complexity open a new chapter in fashion design.
How is 3D digital manufacturing transforming the limits of design, personalization, and sustainability in the fashion and textiles sector, as exemplified by the innovative structure of Issey Miyake's UROKO sunglasses?
(P.S.: Designing fashion in 3D has the advantage that you never have to sew on a button.)