WAKE COUNTY, N.C. – Millions of people have ogled over this year’s Met Gala looks. But did you know some of the iconic masterpieces that walked the red carpet this year were made in the Triangle?

  • Pieces of a number of Met Gala dresses this year were 3D printed in the Triangle.
  • Zac Posen's famous rose petal dress was engineered by Protolabs in Morrisville.
  • The dresses took the team over 1,000 hours to make.

Eric Utley is an engineer, so naturally he never thought he’d be mixing business with fashion. That is, until the company he works for, Protolabs, in Morrisville, was asked to manufacture clothes for the Met Gala.

"I didn't know a lot about fashion, so I had to read up about it," said Utley. "Then, I realized pretty quickly that this is the Super Bowl of fashion. It doesn't get any bigger than this." 

Protolabs worked with fashion designer Zac Posen and GE Additive to 3D print gowns.

Celebrities like Katie Holmes rocked dresses with pieces made in Raleigh.

Additionally, a crowd-favorite, the rose petal dress, was completely engineered right here in the Raleigh area.
 
 
These high-tech garmets took six months of planning and more than 1,000 hours to make. The uses of 3D printing just keep expanding, and that's good news for the Triangle! Protolabs is operating out of RTP just miles from RDU airport. 
 
"We print everything from medical products, to aerospace, to automotive, to clothes, like what was displayed at the Met this week," explains 3D Printing Marketing Manager, Rachel Hunt. "It was so exciting to see that come to life!"
 
As seen at Meta Gala, the uses of 3D printing continue to grow. Whether it's making cars, fulfilling medical needs, or just making people look fabulous...like Spectrum News Reporter Madison Cavalchire. 
 
 
 
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