High-Tech Materials. Can Pragmatism Be Emotionally Appealing?

Today’s advanced materials in fashion are primarily designed to meet the demand for performance: they need to be functional and durable, withstand high levels of stress, and withstand changing weather conditions. Synthetic materials, as well as fabrics made from recycled fibers and manufacturing waste, address practical needs while changing the very logic of how clothing and accessories are produced. But this focus on pragmatism raises another question: how are these materials experienced on a sensory level — through touch, comfort, and visual softness? Can they also provide aesthetic pleasure and be emotionally appealing? The industry faces the challenge of not only developing high-performance materials, but also restoring a sense of sensuality to them.

• How does the fashion industry work with new high-tech materials?
• Can functional and high-tech materials be both emotionally and tactilely appealing, or does pragmatism inevitably diminish the aesthetic value of clothing and accessories?
• Where is the line between material as a technological solution and material as a vehicle for emotion and desire?