The hemline of the Vilkas dress rises over a 30 second interval to reveal the knee and lower thigh. The very light yellow cotton element of the hand-made felt garment contracts through the use of hand-stitched Nitinol wires. Once heated, the shape-memory wire pulls the cloth together, creating a wrinkling effect.

The hemline is programmed to rise autonomously. The behavior of this kinetic dress can be playful and even desirable, but can also be embarrassing in the wrong social situation. The wearer can wait for the hemline to fall or can actively pull it back down. This initiates a physical conversation between the wearer and the garment, as they fight over control of the body’s real estate.

The Kukkia dress is decorated with three animated flowers. Each flower opens and closes over (on average) a 15 second interval. The flowers are constructed out of felt and silk petals that provide relative rigidity and conceal the Nitinol wire stitched onto the back. When heated, the wire shrinks and pulls the petals together, closing the flower. As it cools down, the rigidity of the felt counteracts the shape of the wire, allowing the flower to open again.
By Joanna Berzowska (Concordia University). Check also her Intimate Memory clothing. Photos by Shermine Sawalha.
See also CuteCircuit‘s Kinetic Dress and a wearable system for showing off tattoos.