Braun challenges LCF students: create a dress and only use an iron

Ask any fashion designer which tools he or she could not live without, and the answer is likely to include ´needle and thread´. Yet, as part of a collaboration with German appliance brand Braun, four students from the BA Fashion Design Technology Womenswear and the BA Fashion Textiles Print at the London College of Fashion (LCF) were assigned the task to create a dress using only an iron.

For the creation of the seamless dresses, Henrietta Boyd-Wallis, Yanan Yao, Yumi Kim and Bahar Alipour were able to use one of Braun´s latest ironing systems. From creating pleats and fastening the fabric: it turned out that that the rather straightforward tool is more multi-functionality than it seems.

“I was really keen to be part of this project as I wanted to try and come up with a completely original fastening that wasn´t a zip or a button,” said Boyd-Wallis. “My design centred on a single piece of fabric which I have folded and wrapped around the body, and then sealed with starch and heat from the iron.” The result? An origami-inspired ankle length evening dress in black and yellow (second left on the picture). Other designs that the students came up with included a layered pastel dress with subtle pleats and a grey dress with a wide collar in orange.

Braun´s Trade Marketing and Product Manager Michelle de Boer believes that the project provided the students with a great opportunity to move away from traditional production methods and show their hidden talents. She believes that, as Braun is well-known for being an innovative brand, teaming up with LCF was “natural,” said De Boer. “This striking collection captures the essence of Braun in an creative and exciting way, whilst demonstrating the incredible capabilities of our latest ironing systems.”

Rob Philips, creative director for the School of Design & Technology is equally thrilled about the project. “All four dresses showcase very different ways in which the iron can be used to create a fashionable garment,” said Philips. “The challeging brief from Braun allowed the students to really get creative and try to come up with new and exciting ways to create a garment based around ironing techniques.”

Image credit: London College of Fashion