BERLIN.- Berlin's Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Decorative Arts) opened a groundbreaking exhibition that offers a completely new way to experience fashion history. Titled "Virtual Couture – 3D Fashion: digitized, animated, and interpreted," the show, a collaboration with the AMD Akademie Mode und Design and the Fachhochschule Potsdam, aims to bridge the gap between historical garments and digital innovation.


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Fashion Reimagined: From Archives to Animation

The exhibition stems from the "Virtual Couture" research project, which explores how the sensory experience of fashion—its textures, movement, and even sound—can be translated into the digital realm. Researchers meticulously digitized select pieces from the museum's collection, including an 18th-century chemise dress, iconic 1920s designs by Gabrielle Chanel and Jeanne Lanvin, and a 1970s Haute Couture gown by Madame Grès.


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These garments were precisely measured and thoroughly researched to create animated, three-dimensional reconstructions. Visitors can now explore these digital models from various angles, virtually experiencing their dynamic movement and the drape of their fabrics.

Student Innovation Meets Historical Dress

Another key component of the exhibition showcases work from students at the Fachhochschule Potsdam. As part of a course titled "Style Magnifier: Historical Clothing in Detail," students delved into the history and museum presentation of historical clothing, often limited by conservation needs. Working closely with the Kunstgewerbemuseum's textile collection, they analyzed five garment models from the late 18th to the 20th centuries.

Building on this research, students developed experimental design objects that offer contemporary perspectives on the historical pieces, creating a visual dialogue between past and present. Highlights include:

• Oliver Lehmann's 3D-printed rendering of embroidery from a chemise dress, bringing a tactile dimension to an ornamental detail.

• Lucie Behrens and Veronika Strasser's animation "Une soirée Chanel," which vividly re-creates the atmosphere of a 1920s Paris dance evening using animated Riso print patterns dancing to music.

• Moran Marlina Dori's "The Queen’s Chess," a chess set where textile and glass elements symbolize a fashion designer's characteristics.

Meanwhile, students from the AMD Akademie Mode und Design Berlin used 3D software and AI to create their own digital fashion collections, drawing inspiration from the historical garments.

A Collaborative Vision

The exhibition's overall design concept, including its scenography and visual language, was developed by the Fachhochschule Potsdam's design students. Their work integrates the digital models and artistic creations into a cohesive narrative, allowing the fusion of historical fashion and contemporary art to be experienced both conceptually and visually.

"Virtual Couture" is the product of an intensive, interdisciplinary effort involving Dr. Katrin Lindemann, Curator for Fashion and Textiles at the Kunstgewerbemuseum; Dr. Sabine de Günther, Senior Researcher at the Fachhochschule Potsdam and the Kunstgewerbemuseum; and Dipl.-Des. Andrea Döring, a designer specializing in digital fashion visualizations.

The exhibition impressively demonstrates how digital technologies can contribute to creating new forms of cultural experiences. This close collaboration between universities, museums, and the creative industry is opening new avenues not only for preserving fashion history but also for making it more accessible and vibrant for contemporary audiences.


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