Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Guest article by Yasmine Hottary for Yatzer

Francesca Castagnacci, an Italian-born, fashion designer who has fueled her artistic inspiration in a rather revolutionary fashion concept . Her latest project involves the design of hats and shoes using special optical fibres enduced into fabrics and creating effects with light and dimesions.  It is an honor to present to our design-friendly audience new creators, solely equiped with their talent, fantasy and skillfulness, yet able to bring up creations that surprise our eyes and trigger our imagination . After the footwear concepts of Andreia Chaves, once more Yatzer presents you with a cutting-edge designer that is Fransesca Castagnacci, or else a contemporary maitre of artificial light.

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

The idea of the concept is primarily based upon the optical effects that are created with the light reflected from the fibres and leds intergrated in the fabrics of the items. The Luminex concept or else Photonic fabrics is the ‘new focus’ of electronic firms, medical companies anf fashion houses, who are all busy with developing and working with fabrics that combine photonic with material technologies.  Although this technology has been been used for quite a time now by the more electronics-oriented industries, its recent wide use by the textile industry has brought up some striking results.

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

With today’s advanced textile technology these optical fibres and leds are know ‘weaved’ and intergrated into the fabrics, taking their shapes while at the same time channeling light into them.  The results are rather impressive since the products made by illumminated fabrics surely have a plus optical effect compared to the rest.  Although these Luminex fabrics have been used by a handful of fashion clothing companies now, Castagnacci’s adoption of the concept in the making of accessories is surely interesting.

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Her very modern and avant-garde hat designs become even more impressive with the light effects created by the use of fibres. Oval shapes, made of illuminated textiles result to multiple dimensional effects and strange shapes. On the other side, the truly avant garde shoes, kind of Martin Margiela spirit, but also having the plus of the optical tricks created by the fibres are without doubt gallery pieces.  What is left to see is Francesca Castagnacci's work in one of these contemporary galleries of Europe that we really adore.

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Image Courtesy of Francesca Castagnacci

Bright fashion by Francesca Castagnacci

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