TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — April 3, 2017 — An unlikely collaboration between two University of Alabama colleges has resulted in an innovative, yet fashionable, way of displaying student work.

The SHOE PRO-JECT started with one goal — expanding the College of Engineering’s 3D Projection Lab’s scope by providing its students with a remarkable “screen” on which they could showcase their departments’ skills, said Genna Jones, events coordinator for the College of Human Environmental Sciences.

Brian Taylor, instructor in CHES’s department of clothing, textiles and interior design, suggested building a giant shoe as a 3D projection screen, while Jones had the idea to build the entire shoe out of shoe boxes.

“CHES brought to the table the problem-solving resources and creativity needed to build a highly complex and sophisticated canvas on which to highlight the technical and logic skills of engineering,” Jones said.

More than 100 donated shoe boxes were used to create the high-heeled shoe.

Projection mapping uses a program that warps the image that comes from a projector in order to display onto multiple 3D surfaces.

For instance, the program could be used to make every side of a cube a screen to project on, like how Disney World recently started projecting on the Castle at the fireworks show, said 21-year-old Laura Rubisch, a junior from Weaverville, North Carolina, who is double majoring in architectural and civil engineering.

Rubisch has been “mapping” the footage that displayed on the 3D “shoe” screen.

The engineering department had used the software on a trial basis, but the goal is to project onto buildings in order to work on blueprint plans or do presentations for special events. Partnering with CHES allowed the department to test out the software on a smaller scale project and work out the different kinks, Rubisch said.

With more than 100 donated shoe boxes, including several vintage shoe boxes donated by Taylor’s mother, Taylor and Jones began the process of building the high-heeled shoe in December.

The shoe’s supporting structure was made out of boxes donated by University Printing, while the outer shell of the shoe was crafted with the donated shoe boxes. The entire piece is held together with packing tape and hot glue.

The SHOE PRO-JECT had one goal — providing engineering students a creative “screen” on which they could showcase their projection mapping skills.

Since one of CHES’s graduates, Stanley Hu, owns a shoe company, it was decided to top the shoe with two boxes from his company, Liuid, in recognition of his accomplishments, Jones said.

The footage displayed on the shoe was collected during an advanced apparel design course “Senior Shoot.” In this course, senior apparel design students design and create a cohesive collection for their target market. Those collections are photographed for the students’ portfolios.

The students also had their designs filmed in motion to show fabric drape and movement. They discussed on camera their design philosophy and collection inspiration, and a collection of those videos was chosen for the shoe project presentation, Taylor said.

“I’ve loved working on this project because even though I’m an engineer I really have a joy and heart for fashion, so it has been so awesome to be able to fuse my two passions,” Rubisch said.

“It’s been really cool to work with multiple groups on this presentation because every department involved sees different things in the project. The textiles department has an eye for detail and the creativity aspect, while the engineering side is focused more on the technology. It’s been really cool to watch this develop and has given me a large appreciation for both groups who are so different but work so well together.”

Posted April 4, 2017

Source: University of Alabama

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — April 5, 2017 — Antonio Stefano, the clothing brand that launched with world-class designs of handmade Italian silk ties has come up with a slogan that is sure to be remembered worldwide. Although trying to raise money for dogs, the brand is striving to be a very innovative and cutting-edge brand, catering to the needs of the consumer. Both tall and short men have issues with neckties. As a response to that need, Antonio Stefano has created each of its 20 designs in three sizes: the standard 58”, 3 inches shorter, and 6 inches longer. The sizes are appropriately labeled: tall, taller, and tallest. That problem is now solved.

Both tall and short men have struggled for years with ties that don’t fit just right. If a tie does not fit right states Stefano Riznyk, the chief creative director, you are better off without one. For a person who is short, the best option is to cut three inches off the tail of the tie and have it resewn by a tailor, which will add about $10-$15.00 to the cost of the tie.

For a tall person, the problem is insurmountable as the tail is so short that it does not fit behind the label or keeper loop, that are meant to keep it in place. As a result, the tail dangles and looks very unkept. The problem that both short and tall men endure, is that there are few designs to choose from in their size range and they are stuck with whatever is out there.Antonio Stefano is one of the few firms that offers every single design in 3 sizes, so men are no longer stuck with whatever they can find. The dazzling designs by Antonio Stefano are world-class and made completely by hand with Italian artisans in Lake Come, 30 minutes outside of Milan.

Although their trademark can be considered edgy, it will be easily remembered. At the end of the day, regardless of how you dress or what you do, fit will always make the difference over size!

Posted April 5, 2017

Source: Antonio Stefano

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. —  April 3, 2017 — Avery Dennison has announced a global Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) partnership agreement with Target Corp., as part of Target’s deployment of RFID technology to more than 1,600 stores to help maximize inventory availability and deliver an enhanced guest experience. This deployment is the largest of its kind.

Target is leveraging Avery Dennison’s broad UHF RFID portfolio for a variety of category and performance needs, including apparel and a number of home products. In addition, Avery Dennison RFID tags have been seamlessly integrated with current trim products to optimize the branding of the garments being tagged.

“In the apparel industry, having an accurate picture of stock availability is an important driver for retailers to deliver an optimized omnichannel experience. We are honored to be selected by Target as a key business partner for this initiative,” said Bill Toney, vice president for RFID Market Development at Avery Dennison.

RFID technology uses radio waves to identify and track tags attached to objects and the tags can store information electronically. It is increasingly relied upon by retailers not only for supply chain activity, but also to create a seamless experience for apparel customers.

Posted April 3, 2017

Source: Avery Dennison