While scientists are hard at work in their labs, mixing chemicals and programming codes, their breakthrough discoveries and creations, like neoprene, have been picked up by the most sought after fashion designers, who have been reworking the smooth, sculptural fabric into their own collections. Here’s nine crazy facts about neoprene…
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Neoprene’s original name is Polychloroprene.
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It was originally developed as an oil-resistant substitute for natural rubber more than 80 years ago.
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It’s best known use is to make wet suits for scuba divers.
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Neoprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are durable, flexible, insulative, wrinkle, water and UV resistant.
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You’ll never run the risk that your bodycon skirt or tight leggings are accidentally a little bit see-through. The material is always opaque, and its resiliency means it doesn’t really stretch out.
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Neoprene holds photorealistic patterns well, so it’s not uncommon to see digi-print-adorned pieces in the shop window – think Mary Kantranzou.
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Designers consider this an easy fabric to work with, mainly because it doesn’t fray or slip and neoprene also doesn’t need lining.
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The suits NASA astronauts wear during extravehicular activity contain neoprene-coated nylon.
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Since the discovery of the fabric in 19030, Neoprene has leapt from the water and onto the catwalk to become a regular feature in contemporary fashion, with ever brand from Karl Lagerfeld and Louis Vuitton to Balenciaga and Alexaner McQueen using it in their collections.
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