In the dark

EL Wire Bra for Men

We decided to experiment with the EL wire by installing it on clothing. Setting out with the goal to have very specific shapes (hearts or stars) on a bra, we discovered that forming specific shapes with EL wire is difficult, especially with sharp corners.

The base was constructed from a wife-beater to reflect the masculine nature of the garment. Inspired by origami, we folded the clothing to give shape and dimension to the base.

We taped the EL wire into the desired positions and then sewed it at specific points to the base. While laying down the EL wire, a shaped formed out of the idea that it could fill in the areas that the cloth itself didn’t cover. While anchoring/sewing the wire, things shifted and the elegant design we had intended shifted out of alignment; furthermore, while dressing in the bra, Carl tore some stitches and shifted things even more. Having a solid base (like more rigid wire) would be a good idea if attempting this again. Also, playing more with other fabrics/materials to cover/diffuse the bare EL wire would be a good next step.