News from the world of maths: Maths is the new black

We at Plus have always known that maths is beautiful, but now even the most aesthetic of worlds, fashion, is taking note. Last week in The Independent, Professor Sandy Black, from the Centre for Fashion Science, London College of Fashion, explained how her mathematical background has enabled her to create complex and unique knitted designs, selling in the most prestigious stores in London, New York and Tokyo.

Black also wrote about some of the exciting future possibilities resulting from weaving together science and fashion. Digital body scanning might not only produce made-to-measure clothes, but might even mean you never have to enter a cramped changing room again and instead virtually check the fit of those new jeans. Wonderland, a project funded by EPSRC that brings together designers and chemists, has created dresses that dissolve in water and packaging that can be turned into a gel used to grow seeds. You can read more in her article.

And if you can't wait for your mathematical fashion, maths has even made it into the Selfridges window display, as photographed last week by Dr Brian Stewart.

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