Insane Paris is a new start-up from France. The company manufacturers a range of clothing, from t-shirt, bandannas, baseball hats and so on, that share a common design element: the clothing, which is mostly black, emits a a luminescent glow either under certain light or through the pulsating activation of fiber optics. The vivid glows can be seen strongest in the dark, or under ultraviolet light but they are also strikingly visible in daylight, reflecting a combination of textiles, optics and electronics.
With the luminescence the light in the clothing is given out only when their atoms are excited and a little heat is given off. Luminescence can be of various types depending on how they give of light, producing an array of different glows and colors. In terms of manufacture, the clothes are designed digitally. The part that glows is composed of fiber optics which emit light along the full fiber of the clothes. This part can be 3D printed onto common fabric. Once affixed to the clothing, the process of releasing a fabulous luminous effect happens instantly light strikes the specially rendered part of the clothing.
Given that the fibers glow more towards the ends it is important to ensure that the embedded fibers remain visible. Once the designers has decided where the cables should go, the fibers need to be separated into as many bundles as possible, to maximize the effect.
Insane Paris have been touring Europe this summer exhibiting their clothing range. This included a three-day stop-over at the London Film and Comic Convention, which took place over the last weekend in July at Olympia, in west London.
The Insane Paris stall featured an array of the company’s creations. The products emit seven different lighting colors with a stunning luminous effects.
To draw over customers the exhibitors dressed in their own clothes, stood alongside specially equipped lighting and announced their presence through some bombastic beats.
Digital Journal asked one of the exhibitors what the interest level was like. “It’s big,” was the answer. “Great interest. We are big in Paris, big in Berlin. Soon we will be big in London.” One person buying two baseball caps (one with two green glowing hearts interconnected, and another depicting the universal symbol of privacy – a skull and cross-bones) called Jenny said: “These items are really cool. They’ll be fine to wear to the club in my town” (which was named as Batchwoods, St. Albans).
The variations of Insane Paris show what small start-ups can achieved through the use of digital technology, connecting with young people, and tapping into the right social vibe. Website Fashion Lady predicts that luminescent clothing is set to rise in popularity worldwide.
