Overview

The Grand Central Dress is an interactive wearable that transforms data into art. Inspired by the celestial ceiling of Grand Central Station, this dress lights up zodiac constellations in response to the proximity of people nearby. By merging technology, handcraft, and urban inspiration, the project explores how data can be expressive, ambiguous, and poetic, beyond its usual corrective or analytical roles.

My Role

Concept Development, Circuit Design, Fabrication

Arduino, Sensors, Prototyping and Fabrication Tools, LEDs

Tools

Concept

What if data could reveal, contradict, or simply express? The Grand Central Dress began with this question. Rather than using data to correct or optimize, this project uses it to create an experience, one that’s both personal and public. As people approach, the dress senses their presence and illuminates constellations, echoing the ever-changing crowds beneath Grand Central’s ceiling. The result is a living artwork that responds to the crowds of New York, blurring the line between observer and participant.

Preview

Ideation

I experimented with several approaches for translating environmental input into visual output. The early concepts toggled between sound, light, and distance-based triggers. Proximity eventually became the key form of interaction, allowing the wearer’s environment to influence the garment in real time.

Mood boards, sketches, and sensor testing informed the early direction, blending fashion aesthetics with physical computing.

Prototyping Process

Prototype 01:

Built with an ultrasonic sensor, Arduino Uno, and LEDs to test distance-based light response. Early trials displayed data in the serial monitor while controlling basic LED output.

Prototype 02:

Shifted to a PIR motion sensor for more stable readings and experimented with integrating battery-powered fairy lights as a lightweight alternative to programmable LEDs.

Fabrication

I hand-painted the zodiac constellations from the Grand Central ceiling onto the dress, embedding LEDs within the fabric to align with each star. The process involved extensive experimentation, from adhesives and stitching methods to testing circuit stability.

The final version integrated fairy lights through small cutouts, secured with fabric and adhesive to achieve both flexibility and function. Despite technical challenges, the piece successfully demonstrated proximity-triggered illumination and visual mapping of constellations.

Documentation

The final dress was tested and documented at Grand Central Station. A symbolic setting that tied the concept back to its inspiration.

I was really bad at documenting in a public space!

Reflection

The Grand Central Dress was as much about problem-solving as it was about creation. Sourcing materials and making electronics wearable proved challenging, especially with time constraints and limited tools. Yet, each setback led to new discoveries, like the best way to attach LEDs to fabric or how to make a circuit both functional and wearable.

Ultimately, the project demonstrates that data can be more than numbers; it can be art, experience, and expression. The Grand Central Dress is a tribute to New York’s energy, the beauty of imperfection, and the magic that happens when technology meets imagination.