In what seems to be a convergence of science and fashion, graphene has entered the world of fashion. The revolutionary material in the form of a black dress has been unveiled in Manchester.
This would be the world’s most technically advanced dress, with tiny LED lights that change colour in sync with the wearer’s breathing.
The LED lights, positioned across the bust are powered by 
graphene, which is the thinnest and strongest form of carbon. The dress features a graphene sensor band around the waist to measure the wearer’s breathing rate. Lightweight nylon fabric has been used to make the dress.
The prototype of the little black dress was revealed at the intu Trafford Centre shopping complex in Manchester.
“Graphene has never been used in the fashion industry before,” said Francesca Rosella, chief creative director for Cute Circuit. “Being the first to use it was a real honor, allowing us to
have a lot of fun creating the stunning little black graphene dress and showcasing graphene’s amazing properties.”
The wearable technology company Cute Circuit, has brought out the hi-tech dress in association with the National Graphene Institute at The University of Manchester and intu Trafford Centre.
“Technology and fashion have come together to create what is the world’s most high-tech dress and could become the blueprint for what our millions of customers will be wearing in the future,” noted Richard Paxton, general manager of intu Trafford Centre.
“This is a fantastic project. Graphene is still very much in its infancy for real-world applications. Showcasing its amazing properties through the forum of fashion is very exciting,” said Dr. Paul Wiper, Research Associate at the National Graphene Institute.
“The dress is truly one of a kind and shows what creativity, imagination and a desire to innovate can create using graphene and related two-dimensional materials,” he added.
This technology could be used to create designs that can be programmed to change colour or design.
Two scientists at the University of Manchester discovered graphene in 2004 and were later awarded the Nobel Prize. At only one atom thick, graphene is the best-known material to conduct electricity and has immense potential in commercial applications.
