>> Major funding for Design Squad Nation is provided by: >> The National Science Foundation, where discoveries begin.
Series funding is provided in part by NASA-- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
>> Northrop Grumman Foundation, supporting innovative education experiences for students and educators.
>> And the Lemelson Foundation.
The Foundation sparks, sustains, and celebrates innovation and the inventive spirit in the U.S. and developing countries.
Additional funding is provided by: United Engineering Foundation... >> ...Motorola Foundation.... >> ...and IEEE.
>> I'm Judy.
>> And I'm Adam.
We're engineers.
>> We work with kids... >> This is so cool!
>> ...to make their dreams come true through engineering.
>> ( speaking in Spanish ) >> If you can dream it, you can build it.
>> I never really thought I could do something like this.
>> That was really fun.
( laughing ) >> On Design Squad Nation.
>> Last time on Design Squad Nation... >> Hey, Christian.
>> Hi, how are you?
>> How's it going?
>> Nice to meet you.
Christian, how are you?
>> We made two aspiring fashion designer's dreams come true with the chance to engineer a gown and wow New York fashion designer Christian Siriano.
>> You can be inspired by what I do.
You have gowns from the Spring/Fall Collection, and I have one special surprise.
We're going to do a fun, little collaboration with teenvogue.com.
It's going to be a photo shoot and do a little feature story, so get cracking.
>> Eduarda and I decided to be fashion forward with the ancient art of paper folding.
>> Oh, wow!
Ah, look at that!
>> And Juan and I had a bright idea.
Imagine if there was lighting... >> That's pretty awesome.
And then it could go from a ball gown to a cocktail dress.
>> But soon, things unraveled.
Ah!
We're heading to this company that actually does pleating services so that we can get a really nice, sharp crease.
>> Should I go for it?
>> Yeah, go for it.
>> Am I ruining it?
>> This is just... this is like a disaster.
>> Don't you fear that it'll tangle?
>> I'm pretty worried, actually.
>> And with the big unveiling for Christian and Teen Vogue fast approaching... We didn't get here on time.
If we don't get this today, like, we're done.
We should definitely find another place that can do this.
>> Oh, yeah.
No, no, no, no, no.
They're not the only pleating company in New York, I don't think.
>> At Mood, in front of the elevator, they have a phone number we can call.
>> It's here.
>> Hi, may I speak to Leon?
Is this Leon?
We've made this pleating technique, and we're just looking for a place that could let us use an oven.
Do you... do you have an oven that's accessible?
Okay.
Okay.
Great.
Do you mind if we come by now?
Is that possible?
But is it... is the electricity completely out?
>> I have to lift the dress.
There are tiny, little wires that are connected to the motors.
Are you ready?
>> Yeah.
>> Uh-oh.
What was... wait, that just did something.
>> Yeah.
>> It's like we're tangling up as it's coming out.
That really concerns me.
>> And okay, absolute worst comes to worst is that it's a one-shot deal.
Like, it goes up once, it goes down once, and for the photo shoot, it's good.
>> All right, just... let's hope it works.
>> It's just like one bad thing after the other.
>> Oh, 337.
>> The good news is that he's willing to help, the bad news is the electricity is out.
I think we should go talk to him anyway.
Right now, it's our only choice.
Oh, Leon.
Oh, you are having trouble with the electricity.
The problem is we need it done today.
Yeah.
>> Oh!
>> You're saving... you're saving... you're saving everything.
>> Oh, wow!
Look at these!
There's just thousands of patterns, and no two are alike.
>> We're going to go check out the ovens.
So they're going to put the fabric in.
15 minutes in there, and because the fabric is a plastic, it'll melt it and form a permanent crease.
Oh, look at that!
>> I know.
>> And we made it!
>> Look at this!
>> Wow!
>> Yeah, I know.
>> You saved out lives.
>> Oh, thank you!
We're saved.
We're actually saved.
>> Now I'm just working on the bodice.
I do feel that I'm stretching my fashion muscles, and it's time that I start doing that.
This is a very important moment in my life, because most young designers are always constantly struggling to show the public what we are made of, and I feel that this is a great opportunity for me to do that in a way.
I like the bodice a lot.
>> Being able to have a spread in the Teen Vogue Web site adds so much more pressure.
I know that barely anyone gets that kind of opportunity.
It's just mind blowing.
It kind of feels, I mean... just to bring the design to life, I really have to just do the best that I can.
I've sewn the bodice.
I mean, there's still parts that are going to be added to the top, but this is done.
>> Ooh, it's so pretty.
( phone ringing ) >> Juan, we're calling my mom.
>> Hmm.
>> I sent her a picture of the dress with the motors hooked up.
>> Hey, Adam.
>> Hey, Mom.
Tell me what you thought of the dress.
>> It looked scary, because all I could see was a lot of wires.
>> You said it looked scary?
>> Did you finally convince him that you can do this and it'll be okay?
>> No, I don't think he believes me.
>> I'm worried just like you, Mom.
>> Now my mom and my partner both don't believe me.
It's bad news.
It's not a good scene.
>> It's a really cool idea, and you're going to blow Judy out of the water.
>> Oh, snap!
It's official-- my mom says so!
>> We just started working on the hip design.
>> It'll start off short, and then from here, we're going to open that and then this will be there.
And so she opens this, the fabric falls through, and then you can remove the whole thing with magnets.
Then all you'll have left is this skirt.
>> My big concern is definitely if it's too bunchy, you know?
>> It'll be a little weird.
>> I don't know.
To me, I think it's really great.
>> Okay.
I'm just trying to understand in my mind what it's going to do.
And I trust you completely.
It's coming down to the wire, so I'm like, "Ah!"
>> Yeah.
>> Like, is this right?
Are we still okay?
>> So tomorrow, we still have to integrate the mechanics and the electronics with the dress... >> Mm-hmm.
>> ...as well as put the dress together.
So we're looking at like, pieces of the puzzle, and we're going to do that.
>> We keep talking about it-- "Oh, it's coming, it's coming"-- but it's going to be slow because of all the electronics.
>> Okay, so do you promise?
>> ( sighing ) >> Good night.
>> Okay, Juan, good night.
I didn't quite get as far along as I wanted last night, and I know I promised Juan that I was going to be done with electronics, but I have this idea about turning the dress on.
So I've got a big, pressure sensitive resistor, so if the model puts her hand on her hip, the dress is going to turn on.
A resistor is a device from a material that limits the amount of electric currant, which is the flow of electrons.
Adding more resistor material allows more electrons to flow.
A pressure sensitive resistor is a plastic sensor that changes its resistance when you push on it.
It's made from two flexible sheets of plastic.
One side is coated with resistor material, the other has low resistance metal wires to allow electricity to flow through them easily.
When the layers are not pressed together, the layers are separated, so there's no path for the electricity to flow.
When the layers are pressed together, the resistor material touches the metal wires, making a path for the electricity to flow.
Pressing harder on the sensor presses the layers more tightly together, making more paths for the current to flow.
So when the model presses on the sensor, the computer will detect the flow of electricity and turn on the motors and lights.
So Juan, if you want to touch that thing, we'll see what happens.
Is it working?
It's working!
And those come on now, and this comes on!
Yes!
>> I have no words yet.
I'm like, so stressed right now, I don't even know what to say, but it's beautiful, all the lights.
It's just a matter of finishing up that dress.
If there's no dress, there's no nothing.
>> This is mine.
So these work like thought bubbles, but they're tape strips.
We need to attach the underneath slip for the skirt as well as finish the hip.
So it's just great to see our design go from an idea to paper and now the actual dress.
>> The model is smaller than the form, so... it just looks frumpy right now.
>> I need to make the skirt.
It's going to be covered with flounces to give it more life to the dress.
It's very long and tedious work... ...because when you sew it, it has to come out immaculately-- as if angels had put their hands on it and sewn it themselves.
This skirt is the one thing that I hate a lot.
And then I'm going to pretend this skirt never existed.
>> We are hoping to make a really nice necklace piece, and we kind of got that inspiration from Christian's necklace.
It's kind of like, big and chunky.
So this is the design that Eduarda and I came up with, and we got the pieces cut onto clear plastic, and then we'll put some pink on the edge, so that when you're looking at it from the side you can kind of see pink glowing.
And so wow, look at that.
>> That looks so sick!
>> 12 hours.
Miracles can happen in 12 hours.
A million things to do.
>> We're just tired now.
We've been working nonstop, and tonight, like, I'm not going to feel comfortable when I sleep unless it's done.
>> I've put a lot of work into this garment, because I feel I do want them to remember my name when they do see it.
I mean, I know there's a million silhouettes that look like this one, but to me, this is the only silhouette that exists because I made it.
>> So it's 1:30 a.m.
It's taking a lot longer than we expected, so I mean, I think we'll get it done by tomorrow, but it's definitely going to have to be nonstop working.
( sighing ) >> It's 7:00, and I'm still trying to finish.
>> I don't want to put all of the pressure on Juan, but a lot of the ball is kind of in his court right now.
I can't put the hardware, the electronics, onto the dress until Juan sews the bodice to the skirt.
>> It won't sew, because this stuff is so thick.
And there's threads everywhere.
It's just making this whole thing a mess.
>> This has fallen apart.
I cannot deal with it anymore.
I don't even think I want to take this over to that photo shoot.
It's not worth it.
I mean, I should've really taken shortcuts instead of complicating it so much.
>> And now this... the fabric is just being so overworked that it's completely just breaking and like, tearing.
So now I have some little things, but these little things take so much time and you kind of underestimate how much time they're really going to take you.
>> Desperate times call for hot glue.
This is not fashion approved right here.
I'm gluing our dress together.
What do you think?
>> That's good.
>> It's a little built-in motor hider.
We're just going to deal with all the hoses and cables when we get there.
Somebody should call Christian and fake a fashion emergency to hold them up.
( laughing ) Good luck, guys.
Now it's just the hour of go time.
>> Tell me about it.
>> No more prototyping.
It's now or never.
So what I want to do is get everything here ready, go through a trial run just to make sure it's working, and then if it's working, I need to mess with the timing of the program, so we'll have to run through it at least a couple times to get that.
>> Let's just see what the hips... >> Yeah, we need to see that.
>> ...how it looks.
Okay, fold this hip.
It's just too much stuff in here.
>> It's actually too small?
>> Yeah, it's not going to hold.
>> Ugh!
Okay.
>> So what's our next move?
>> Next move is... >> So Juan, I'm going to try this out.
I've wired up everything now.
We should be able to push the pressure sensor... Whoo!
Lights go on!
Motors should go.
>> All right, motors stopped.
This should come on.
Yeah!
>> 15 or so minutes.
>> Okay, stop for a sec.
15 minutes left.
Reality check.
Let's scrap this.
This is not going to happen.
>> Well, what we'll have to do is like, stitch all this stuff underneath down so it's a little bit smoother and it doesn't go out so much.
>> Yeah.
>> Let's just focus on that.
Do you think you can get just the front part pulled down in 15 minutes on both sides?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay, let's do that.
>> Yeah, let's do that.
>> It doesn't fit.
>> It doesn't fit?
>> It's too tight.
I really...
I really don't like this.
>> What happened there?
It's like... it's like we lost a whole piece.
>> All right, I'll keep working on it.
>> I think when it's... when it's fitted, Juan, it'll look really good.
>> All right, thank you.
>> So there's two problems.
One is that the dress doesn't fit on Aubrey.
That's the biggest problem, because she's got to wear something out there, and it can't be gaping open at the back with her holding it up.
So Juan is working on that.
And the other problem is that we haven't hooked up all of these cables that are going to lift the dress.
So the motors work-- which is awesome-- but there's not anything attached to them right now.
So I don't know how we're going to squeeze this all in in the time we have left.
>> We have some tape if you want to try just cheating and taping it down.
>> ( laughing ) >> I'm serious.
We have 15 minutes.
This is about making it look good for a photo, right?
>> Okay, you're right.
>> It's so thick.
>> We're going to be fine.
It's a mess.
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
What are we doing?
>> Yeah, Christian's here now.
>> Eduarda?
>> Yeah?
>> I want you to feel really good about what you've done.
Forget about what's happened.
Just focus on how cool this dress is.
You can do that, honey.
You know you can.
>> I'm Eduarda, nice to meet you.
>> Good to meet you.
>> I'm Eduarda, nice to meet you.
>> Fabulous.
Looks amazing!
>> So basically, when Judy and I were speaking, I was telling her about my design aesthetic-- very structured and very clean at the same time, and so Judy was showing me these origami folds.
>> Hmm.
>> And so that's how we arrived at the pleats, and we really wanted to make the dress very much about that.
>> From what I saw to now, it's amazing, but also like, all of that by hand?
That's a lot of work, girl.
>> As you know, we're from Teen Vogue, and whenever we do our magazine, put our shoots together, we always have the Teen Vogue girl in mind.
So when you designed this, who is your ideal girl to wear this dress?
>> I think she's very... she's assertive, but still in a very feminine way.
And the necklace, right?
The necklace... >> I was just going to ask, did you make that?
>> We made that.
If you look at it up closer, like, it looks like real gems.
>> Can I look now?
>> Yeah.
>> Let me see.
>> That's really fabulous.
Honey, you could make these and sell them.
$3,000!
I love that.
>> Yeah, we... >> But up close, you really appreciate this pleating.
It's really beautiful.
I think the technique is really quite gorgeous.
>> Great job, guys.
>> You did a fantastic job.
It's beautiful.
>> Thank you.
It seemed like they genuinely liked the dress.
It's a really big deal, and right now it's...
I almost don't even want to talk, because it's so great.
( crying ) >> All right, boys, we're ready.
>> Look at this.
It doesn't even fit.
>> Can you make do?
I mean... >> I don't even want to show this thing.
It's impossible.
I mean, you can't fix that in the back.
It's all in there.
That's where all the problem is.
I seriously don't know what to do about that.
>> Can you just... >> I mean, I... we could do this... >> Do that.
( sighing ) >> That's a mess.
>> What's happening?
>> No, you're not supposed to be in here!
>> I know.
Let's get it together.
>> For all this time, I better see some magic.
>> Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go.
Thank you so much.
>> No problem.
>> Okay, just walk right over.
I guess you do the same thing from before?
>> Right.
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
Hi, I'm Juan Mota.
>> Nice to meet you.
>> Hi, Mary-Kate.
>> Hi, I'm Juan Mota.
>> Nice to meet you.
>> Nice to meet you, too, Mary Kate.
>> Everyone ready?
What's happening?
>> I'm sorry, all right.
>> Are you tired?
Did you have a long night?
>> I haven't slept at all.
Hold on.
>> Take a deep breath.
>> I don't know how to take it... yeah.
>> So what was your biggest challenge in... >> Our biggest challenge was the technology.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> And it was pretty interesting how you could throw in all this like, wiring into a garment and then try to make it look so... so romantic and so organic.
>> So... >> And so... we also found ways to enhance it by actually being able to light it.
>> So I think it's going... it's giving us a little show right now.
>> That's great.
Mm-hmm.
>> And also, we tried to make... to see a way where we could create an evening gown and a cocktail dress.
>> It's getting short.
>> Yeah.
>> Which is fabulous.
Yeah, I want to see.
I'm going to get up there now.
Ah, that's fabulous.
I think it's great that it goes long to short.
>> I think it's the perfect mix of you know, these strong, you know, sharp edges and lines, but then you notice when you get closer, you know, the delicate tulle over the crystals.
>> I love this, how it's kind of peeling off and showing that.
That's some Lady Gaga.
>> We kind of thought of her just a bit.
>> Very creative.
>> Thank you.
>> I think it's beautiful.
You really did a great job.
>> Yeah, great job, guys.
>> Congratulations.
>> That's great.
Love it.
>> They have a positive reaction towards the garment, so that made me feel a lot better.
I hope they weren't sugarcoating it.
>> I love this fabric.
>> Thank you.
To experience this was one chance of a lifetime.
But this... this...
I love this.
>> I definitely think in the future I'll be trying to bring in as much as I can of engineering.
It presents you all of these other possibilities that you could bring into your designs.
It's very fashion-forward in that way.
>> I'm very proud of my accomplishments this whole week.
Watch out, world!
>> I think we both did a really good job.
>> I think we did.
>> So are you ready to finally see the Teen Vogue Web site?
>> I'm very excited.
>> I know.
Okay, you click.
I'm scared.
>> Okay.
>> Christian!
So fabulous.
That's such a good photo.
>> That's great.
>> Wow.
Oh, look!
That looks so nice.
>> I think our hard work really has paid off.
I mean, we're on Teen Vogue.
>> It's crazy.
It doesn't even seem real, though.
You're speechless.
>> I am speechless.
>> Yeah.
>> I don't know what to say.
Putting word out about my work and the whole experience is just amazing.
>> We did it!
Wow, that's so beautiful.
>> Major funding for Design Squad Nation is provided by: >> The National Science Foundation, where discoveries begin.
Series funding is provided in part by NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
>> Northrop Grumman Foundation, supporting innovative education experiences for students and educators.
>> And the Lemelson Foundation.
The Foundation sparks, sustains, and celebrates innovation and the inventive spirit in the U.S. and developing countries.
Additional funding is provided by: United Engineering Foundation.
>> Motorola Foundation.
>> And IEEE.
>> Hey, Adam, check this out.
It's the Design Squad Nation Web site.
You can play games on it.
>> Whoa, sweet!
Hey, look at this.
You can watch videos from the show and you can sketch your own new designs.
>> And there's a ton of amazing designs on here from kids at home.
This shirt can expand into an umbrella.
>> This snowsuit is specially designed to help you sled down a hill.
>> And these clothes are wired so you can record your own singing and play it back.
>> So join Design Squad Nation at pbskidsgo.org.
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