Trendspotting: Origami Fashion

I grew up making origami, originally taught to me by mother.  A traditional childhood paper craft, she never thought it would become a lifelong obsession with me... In high school, I graduated to making origami jewelry and greeting cards that would become my little side hustle at craft fairs.

For my senior year fashion design thesis at Parsons School of Design, I created a wedding dress out of silk gazar origami birds on a hooped satin organza base (see above).  This one got a lot of mileage, as fashion magazines from the U.S. and Spain asked to feature it.

Origami also became another side project in later years when I taught children to make their own creations at an Upper West Side restaurant which then turned into a business of creating folded paper decor for events.  Go figure.

In fashion, I am clearly not the only one to be inspired by this ancient craft... Mainstream couturiers like Chanel in 2009 and John Galliano for Dior in 2007 have had very popular collections.

The Pratt Institute and the MOMU Fashion museum at Antwerp had featured exhibitions of dresses made from folded paper.  Other artists and up-and-coming designers are also creating new couture pieces using manipulated folds in metallics, paper and fabric.

Etsy is full of artists creating everything from jewelry, handbags, t-shirts and party decor:

Some great DIY tutorials on origami-inspired fashion accessories

Origami flower change purse:

Origami Earrings:

photos by Giovanni Giannoni,Mauricio Velasquez Posada ,Bobbin Talk, David TW Leung,Francois Guillot,Francois Guillot