Manel Torres

Manel Torres is a Spanish fashion designer and inventor of the spray-on fabric Fabrican.[1]

Early life and education

Torres was born in the Catalan region near Barcelona, Spain. He studied fashion design at the Escuela de Artes y Técnicas de la Moda (EATM) in Barcelona and the Winchester School of Art in the United Kingdom before pursuing postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art, where he earned a Master's degree in Womenswear Design.

After a brief stint in the fashion industry in India, he returned to London to undertake a PhD at the Royal College of Art, in collaboration with Imperial College London[1]. There, his doctoral research focused on developing innovative textile materials and accelerating traditional garment production methods, which ultimately led to the invention of spray-on fabric technology.

Career

In 2003, Torres founded Fabrican Ltd, a research and innovation company utilising his patented spray-on fabric technology.[2]

Torres has delivered TEDx talks in London[3][4] and Vienna[5] discussing this intersection of science and fashion.

Torres and Fabrican gained international attention when the material was showcased at the "Science in Style" show during London Fashion Week in 2010[6] featuring spray-on dresses inspired by Victorian crinolines and iconic architecture[7].

In 2022, Torres sprayed a dress directly onto supermodel Bella Hadid as she stood on stage in her underwear at Paris Fashion Week for the finale of the Coperni Spring 2023 show, creating a viral moment shared worldwide.[8][9]

Torres continues to work on research and development for Fabrican's spray-on fabric and is an influence in discussions on sustainable fashion, rapid manufacturing and the future of wearable materials.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b Judge, Lindsay (1 November 2022). "Meet Dr Manel Torres, Founder of Fabrican and Inventor of the World's First Spray-On Fabric". A&E Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  2. ^ Nguyen, Tuan C. "This Spray-On Fabric Is a Wardrobe In a Can". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  3. ^ TEDx Talks (2012-06-01). TEDxLSE - Manel Torres - Spray-On Fabric, Crossing Science and Fashion. Retrieved 2026-03-12 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ TEDx Talks (2012-04-26). Spray-On Fabric: Manel Torres at TEDxImperialCollege. Retrieved 2026-03-12 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ TEDx Talks (2013-12-09). From fashion to technology - creating a new material | Manel Torres | TEDxVienna. Retrieved 2026-03-12 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ "Spray-on clothes? From chemical engineering to the catwalk". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  7. ^ "Spray-on haute couture unveiled at Science in Style Fashion Show | Imperial News". Imperial College London. 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  8. ^ "Vogue College Presents Dr. Manel Torres". Vogue College of Fashion. February 19, 2024. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  9. ^ "Meet Dr Manel Torres, Founder of Fabrican and Inventor of the World's First Spray-On Fabric". A&E Magazine. 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  10. ^ Mount, Ian. "The inventor who sprayed on Bella Hadid's dress wants to clean up fashion's supply chain". Fortune. Retrieved 2026-03-12.


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