Keywords
Citation
(1999), "Robots on the catwalk", Industrial Robot, Vol. 26 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1999.04926bab.003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited
Robots on the catwalk
Robots on the catwalk
London Fashion Week this year saw an unusual application for two Comau robots. In the grande finale of Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 1998-1999 show, held on 27 September at the Gatlift Road Warehouse in Victoria, South West London, the robots spray-painted a unique white dress modelled by Shalom Harlow standing on a turntable (see Plate 2).
The articulated-arm, computer-controlled robots, which took four hours to program, were in action for about a minute creating a random pattern on the dress. It could never be repeated exactly as Shalom was constantly trying to dodge the yellow and black jets of paint.
Plate 2 The two Comau robots spray-painting Shalom Harlow modelling a white dress designed by Alexander McQueen during this year's London Fashion Week
Immediately after the show the SMART S2 robots were on their way to Josiah Wedgwood where there will soon be 14 helping to automate cup production at the company's Barlaston factory. When finished, the plant will be ahead of all other ceramic tableware production facilities in the world in terms of the level of automation employed.
According to Alexander McQueen's office, the idea behind the spectacle was to recognise the importance of technology in garment manufacture and at the same time to emphasise the desirability of one-off creations. It was a display which the fashion editor of The Times was moved to describe as "magical".
Contact John D'Angelillo, UK Manager, Comau UK Limited, Unit 3, Hortonwood 32, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 4EU. Tel: +44 (0) 1952 670396; Fax: +44 (0) 1952 670398.