Fashion design often tinkers playfully with technology. This time, Thorunn Arnadottir integrated a few QR codes into his dresses, with a tribal twist.

Arnadottir embeds the codes—made of Swarovski crystals—into the clothes as part of his line of dresses, QR U?. To stitch the codes, the designer used a method common to African beadcraft, resulting in garments that reveal a tribal influence.

According to Arnadottir, “Beads have been used as a communication tool and to express individual identity in African culture; and we also use ‘beads’ (pixels) in the digital culture as a communication tool and to express our identities online.”

More than just a visual reference to ‘online tribes’, the QR codes can be scanned with smartphones to link to relevant websites. For example, a dress designed for Icelandic musician Kali, from the band Steed Lord, links to the latter’s website and music videos.

The ‘beads’—or ‘pixels’—used in this way could help us express and promote ourselves by leading users who capture these codes to any site we want.

Arnadottir said his line of dresses explores “the notion of self-promotion and personal privacy in today’s digitally-networked environment”. Technology has amplified our voice and made fame more accessible, but by doing so, we are becoming our own paparazzi.





[via Fashioning Technology]


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