Innovation Meets Fashion: Naim Josefi Designs for the Future

Scrolling through Naim Josefi’s Instagram page, the phrase “fashion-forward” jumps to mind. The Iranian Swedish fashion designer is known for his high-end streetwear brand (think high-end denim), introducing technology into fashion and celebrating innovation.

“We use technology in many of our products,” Josefi told Make It Last. One example for Josefi’s clever use of technology is incorporating laser printing into his work, so as to make his products more sustainable. “Laser printing is not a new technique, but it has not been applied in fashion on a large scale before,” he notes.

According to Josefi, in the case of denim, laser printers can be used both for design and coloring purposes. While most surface designs on denim are produced by bleaching, Josefi’s alternative method proves to be more sustainable. “Through laser printing, we don’t need to wash the denim as much to bring out the design or the character,” he explains.

Another clever way in which Josefi incorporates laser printers is by 3D printing shoes. In this regard, Josefi is a pioneer, producing the world’s first 3D printed shoe. A newer version of the printed shoe was released earlier this year, with only 10 pieces per color.

Aside from laser printing, Josefi also introduced the world to steel denim, created using a yarn of actual steel. According to Josefi, steel can be melted down and reused an unlimited amount of times, making it a much more appealing material in terms of sustainability. Talk about being fashion-forward!