Fabric that becomes see-through with sunlight

After reading an inspiring article by Yuli Ziv ("What the iPad can teach the Fashion industry") I have to admit: I was annoyed. The iPad is not life changing, it is a fashion fad, exactly what Yuli was condoning and identified to be a problem in the fashion industry (here's a clip that humorously outline the iPad's disadvantages). However, her point as to having to introduce a sense of revolutionising the idea of products in a way that revolutionises our lives (hence, fashion should be full of inventors), still stands. I was thinking about it, and during a conversation with Sam at work the idea of a double effect fabric came up.

Although starting out with dubious motives, a solid dress which becomes see through in certain circumstances may very well have itsadvantages. I am of course assuming that the seethrough fabric is used sporadically and gets included in the cut of a dress which could beseethrough, such as the decoletee, arms or legs.

Water, as we know, has that effect on this silk and cotton fabrics (not to the extent as in this beautiful water dress sported by Gisele Bundchen), but the idea is to not change the condition of the fabric itself but merely its surrounding or the way it is looked at, similar to a 3D film, which changes its shape with the addition of color coordinated glasses.

The way to achieve this without actually affecting thefabric condition itself, I think, could be through light conditions. The idea is not to have transparent dresses (not my idea, anyway). That is already achieved with transparent chiffon. No, I mean something like tan through swimwear. The Swimwear looks like absolutely normal swimwear, and by that I mean they are not seethrough, not even when in the water, but solid (as they should be). They are made from lightweight fabrics with thousands of tiny, mesh pores in the material, which creates an opaque effect, which is what makes it look solid. I am not advertising (read for more info!), but I find that pretty revolutionary.

Now, if there is a way to create a piece that stays visibly solid despite not beingso, surely there must be a way to play with fabric that will look solid or not depending on its circumstances. Now I need someone who actually can go through the scientific motions of finding out what that meterial should in fact be constructed of, and we're good to go(-ish)! My guess is that fluorescent lighting for situations such as a familydinner in the evening or generally cloudy days, will make the surface of this patricular fabric appear solid. However, when infrared and ultraviolet light (sunlight) isreflectedon the surface of the fabric, it appears see through.

Something to think about.