Marina Toeters and Loe Feijs

Fashion innovator and Professor of Industrial Design, respectively
by-wire.net and Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology
Utrecht and Eindhoven, The Netherlands

We report on the generation of a specific type of pied-de-poule pattern (houndstooth) using a dedicated cellular automaton. The generator is a one-dimensional automaton such that the development features a so-called puppytooth pattern. In order to make this possible we had to introduce a system of five colors. The desired pattern appears as a contrast of darker and lighter colors, resembling the traditional black and white pattern. It is possible to extend the automaton, which offers a rich playground for various types of semi-random, yet pied-de-poule like behaviors. The pattern was used to weave fabric; we show the fabric and two realized garments.

Cellular automaton-based mini fashion collection
Cellular automaton-based mini fashion collection
80 x 120 x 40 cm
Ultra detailed woven polyester textile
2017

The cellular automaton is programmed in Mathematica 10.4 at Eindhoven University of Technology. The fabric is woven at EE-exclusives in the Netherlands. EE stands for Van Engelen & Evers. The family business has been weaving quality products since 1900 in the village Heeze in North-Brabant. Now EE supplies woven labels and other products of the very best quality to a wide range of leading global brands, see www.eelabels.com. The garments are designed and realized in the studio of by-wire.net in Utrecht.
We like to thank Jun Hu, Frank Delbressine of TU/e and EE-exclusives for their expertise and kind support. We also thank Prof. S.M. Verduyn Lunel and Prof. J.C.M. Baeten for wearing the garments.