Within this world of rapid prototyping and sleek renderings the notion of something being created to evoke deterioration, or a worn look, seems a bit nostalgic. Every product seems to be sporting a brushed aluminum surface or otherwise a sterile finish.
The case however for Sayan Chanda's project "Fabric Construction" would suggest otherwise against this new-old look. Unlike the trend of retro products that have been sprouting up, Chandra is replicating a natural process onto a different medium—akin to the rust and patina that a vintage car wears or wooden doors constantly exposed to the elements wither and peel.
That natural chemical reaction is reproduced and controlled to create the exposed and distressed fabric you see before you. A multitude of processes were used to create this effect, almost all involving acid and basic stitching techniques.
Using skills that he learned at India's National Institute of Design, Chanda's fabric designs mimic the wear of the paint and wood. The fabrics display the weave and at times highlight the flaws of the fabric. The idea of creating the inconsistencies in a product aligns itself to making a retro product. Both are tapping into the texture of time yet these textile designs wear with time just as the wooden doors have.
As a textile design major Chanda is always seeking ways to create something new from already existing materials as reflected in his other works.
The fabrics shown only represent a small array of the possibilities and combinations in dealing with this process. Chanda points out its potential uses in high-end fashion and in home textile designs.
For some of you the applications of it may seem limiting, but its characteristics and process making it a compelling medium. How and what would you like to see this fabric and production method used for?
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