PFW: Uniqlo Exhibition – When Fashion Meets Technology in Beautiful Paris

October 1, 2018

[x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/4″ class=”center-text ” style=”padding: 10px 10px 10px 10px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; “][x_text]Article, photos and video by Korry Delpha[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”3/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]

“New Fashion Standards in Knitwear” by Uniqlo

Japanese brand Uniqlo inaugurated its first exhibition, “New Fashion Standards in Knitwear” during Paris Fashion Week at the national gallery “Jeu de Paume” in Paris. Frenchman Christophe Lemaire, Artistic Director of the R&D center, decided to partner with Shima Seiki, a leader in advanced knitting machines, to create something more innovative while keeping and honoring tradition and craftsmanship.

The goal was to make sure that the clothes are really comfortable while providing customers with a kaleidoscope of colors and choices to create their own style. The result, seamless garments made from innovation and more specifically to 3D printing–Wholeharment technology, the latest generation knitting machine. The knitting machine was located in the second room dedicated to this exhibition, which allowed me to see the complexity and efficiency of this printer. Before my very eyes, an entire dress was created.

Uniqlo Knitting Machine

“Apparel that comes from our Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity. Designed to be of the time and for the time. Made with such modern elegance that it becomes the building blocks of your style.” There are the words used by the brand to describe their vision of Uniqlo.

The legendary cashmere sweater, with its simplicity and clean lines, has made a name for itself in France and everywhere. This exhibition revealed the extent of the brand’s know-how and its desire to offer its client the best in the world through continuous innovation. Uniqlo unveiled during this exhibition all the complexity of the manufacturing process: from the harvest, to the dying, to end with the quality control. A video extract of the manufacturing was shown, depicting the process and the high standards applied by the brand, all carried out meticulously by talented artisans in China, who are working with the LifeWear philosophy. The brand claims to be a devoted supporter of slow fashion, which is part of sustainability, and creates timeless pieces to attract customers with affordable prices, but not skimping on the quality–clothes that quickly become indispensable in everyday life.

For this unique occasion, Uniqlo collaborated with Maison Labiche, Keur Paris and Andrea Crew to create a collection. This has given them the opportunity to expand their vision of Uniqlo–a shop dedicated to its different universes, and at the end of the visit, a pop-up store for the pleasure of all visitors.