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Fashion takes a step into the digital age

Technology brings endless inspiration to the fashion world, with a role for all to play

When it comes to fashion, how much attention do we pay to it? The answer is a lot, because flaunting the newest fashion or tech gadgets is an everyday nuance that has become a driving factor in our lives.
We believe that the latest bag will uplift our mood and open doors that are otherwise closed, or that owning the latest phone will not only keep us relevant, but also make our lives easier.
But what role do they play in our social and economic advancement and overall well-being? These were some questions I asked myself during a recent design project that had been months in the making and very close to my heart.
For the second time in a row, I had collaborated with Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs on their Annual Gala that was held in May this year. The project was centred on Maitha, a 12-year-old pupil with cerebral palsy and Profound Intellectual Disability. Maitha created a painting using eye-gaze technology, typically used on children and adults who have a significant physical disability.
Al Noor incorporated the Tobii PCEye-Go, a gaze interaction software that eliminates the need for a physical mouse, keyboard or even a switch, allowing Maitha to create a painting by just gazing and blinking.
As the Founder and Designer behind House of Van der Haer, in collaboration with Si Fashion Galerie, we created a custom pure silk using Maitha's print and designed several limited edition women's dresses with an elegant East meets West style influenced by her unique painting.
All one-off designs were unveiled on the Gala night and auctioned off to raise awareness and funds for Al Noor and the hundreds of children and young adults they help train to integrate into society.
Although it is the first of its kind for fashion, created solely by using eye gaze technology, this is not the first time technology has been used to create forward-thinking fashion.
Fashion Designer Hussein Chalayan has persistently used technology in fantastic fashion show collections, where coffee tables were morphed into skirts and digital dresses simulated spread-out plane wings. Michael Schmidt, created a remarkable 3D printed gown for Dita Von Teese. This inexplicably opened our eye up to fashion being so much more than what to wear.
Fashion and technology together have shown us that it can conjure more than a talking piece. It can set a platform to raise awareness and garner funds for charitable causes, education for the children of our future, as well as help the young and old with special needs.
The process reminded me of why I got into fashion in the first place -the escapism, the endless stretch to let your imagination run free and the opportunity to express yourself, and the power to influence people.
So, the next time you turn on your TVs, or scroll through your phone, take a look around and see the future that fashion and technology could possibly bring.

CREDITS:
Photographer: Jef Anog
Make-up & Hair: Carla Fuentes
Creative Direction: Charlotte Van der Haer
Fashion by: House of Van der Haer in
collaboration with Si Fashion Galerie
Dresses available at: Si Fashion Galerie Showroom, D3