“Fashion Engineer” Janet Hansen

Wearables

Nice Motherboard profile of self-proclaimed “Fashion Engineer” Janet Hansen, whose lighted costumery has been used on Dancing with the Stars, and by Daft Punk and Kanye West, among others.

In this episode of Motherboard, Janet shows us her San Diego studio and explains her technique for coaxing the robot side out of some of the world’s biggest future-minded performers. After learning to sew at age 7, she began installing miniature lights in her own dollhouse, and as her costume-making hobby bloomed, she began to incorporate more electronics into her fashion. While developing her artistic skills — she’s also a multimedia painter and sculptor — Janet studied engineering, and picked up a PhD in biomechanics. Today, she is arguably the most prolific lighted clothing designer in the world.

Janet Hansen: Giving Daft Punk, MIA and Kanye that Laser Look

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

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