Laser Cutting in Fashion

Believe it or not, New York Embroidery Studio has one of the largest laser cutter in all of New York City. Laser cutting has been seen in the fashion industry for years, really taking off in the 2000s, and has continued to grow in popularity ever since. Just some of the benefits of laser cutters include the ability to achieve smaller and more intricate detailing, faster and cheaper production of bulk items, and the list goes on. The way it works is by melting or vaporizing the fabric along the lines of the desired design, ensuring no frays in the fabric and clean edges, and luckily we can use our laser cutter on the majority of textiles. From geometric shaped dresses to detailing on the side of sneakers, laser cutting is the solution to modern and unique looking items, re-writing the face of avant-garde looks. Here at New York Embroidery Studio, we use our laser cutter to make all sorts of sequins, etch out designs to heat press onto various fabrics, and much more.

Laser cut designs have been seen at fashion weeks in Paris, London, and New York. Just five months ago at New York Fashion Week, a model donned the Adobe x Christian Cowan Primrose Dress; under each laser cut petal of the dress, they laid circuits to electronically change the pattern, and therefore the design of the dress. Without each piece being individually laser cut, the innovative dress would not have been successful or possible. Iris Van Herpen, a Dutch designer known for her forward-thinking styles, has used laser cutting many of her collections, including Spring/Summer 2013 and 2015, Paris Fashion Week Fall 2016, Spring 2016, and more. The classic silhouettes of her designs are altered with the physical structures she creates through laser cutting, such as how a trench coat design had patches laser cut jutting out with laser cut triangles, making the design futuristic and special.

In terms of the future of the fashion industry, we are entering an era of advanced technology. 3-D printing is being utilized in more ways and AI designs and tools are helping at multiple steps of the design and production processes. Laser cutting is right alongside these technologies, breathing new life into the possibilities of fashion. With the fashion industry paying more attention to sustainability and eco-consciousness, laser cutting is also the perfect tool to minimize fabric waste. In such a crowded fashion market, brands are jumping on the laser cutting bandwagon to continue creating stand-out designs. We are living for the positives we get from our laser cutter, and we can’t wait to see where else it starts gaining popularity. Take a look at some of our laser cut swatches below to see how you can choose to use laser cutting in your designs!