Fashion designers and artists from around the world are always looking for the latest in cutting edge trends and designs. Now a "new" medium is catching on and bringing the industry to a different dimension by incorporating 3-D printing into their designs and artwork.

Why? Accessibility, price point -- and, of course, innovation.

In 2012, the market for 3-D printing topped $2 billion, up nearly 30 percent from the year before. And while most of the cash comes from manufacturing companies, artists are throwing even more dollars at 3-D printers and related technologies, according to Wohlers Associates, a manufacturing research firm.

"It allows me to move into more eccentric areas," artist Tobias Klein told CNN Style. "We see a super beautiful influx of people working with the medium. We're just seeing how far this can go."

In September, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show wowed audiences, not only for their beautiful models, but for their incorporation of a stunning new design that involved "spectacular angel wings that captured the intricacy of snowflakes," worn by model Lindsay Ellingson.

"Designer Bradley Rothenberg relied on a 3-D printing process called Selective Laser Sintering that can fabricate complex interlocking support without additional support materials. 3-D printing also ensured a snug fit," CNN Style reports.

"We actually scanned the model and then wrote code that generated the snowflakes around the 3D mesh of Lindsay's body," Rothenberg explained.

Shapeways scanned Ellingson's body using a 3-D scanner and printed the wings layer by layer with nylon plastic. They were then encrusted with millions of Swarovski crystals.

Back in 2012, 3-D printing technology scanned its way to the runway -- fashion designer Asher Levine used Makerbot's 3-D printers to print multicolored glasses for his models, CNN adds.

3-D Printing's Global Reach for Artists & Museums

From a global standpoint, 3-D printing can allow for artists who live outside of the world's major art to tap into a network of fellow artists and customers.

When you factor in travel to meet potential clients and reach new markets, it can get expensive. Michaella Janse van Vuuren, who is based in South Africa, knows this all too well.

"3-D printing removes many of these barriers and has the potential to level the playing field," she told CNN Style. "My designs can be printed at a location close to the buyer and many online repositories exist where buyers can choose products."

Museums are also jumping on the 3-D printing bandwagon, saying there is also "commercial promise in new printing techniques." 

Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum, which has the most extensive collection of the Dutch artist's works in the world, teamed up with Fujifilm to create 3-D replicas of five Van Goghs, including the renown "Sunflowers" and "Almond Blossom." Over a 3-month process, Fujifilm scanned the works and then printed 260 replicas of each.

Dubbed "Relievos," the replicas capture the paintings' intricacies, and "not only the colors -- there are 32 shades of yellow in 'Sunflowers' -- but also the particulars of Van Gogh's brushstrokes, including height and direction." Specific detail goes into the frame and the backside of each painting, including "stickers and other markers of where the paintings have traveled."

"This way people can see the history of the painting," says Milou Halbesma, the head of public affairs at the museum. "A painting travels around the world. People can see it was in exhibitions at the Moma and other museums."

According to CNN Style, the Relievos sell for about $34,000, and will help the museum pay for essential renovations. Previous sales in Hong Kong and Taiwan were a huge success, so the museum has launched similar sales in Belgium and the Netherlands. It will take its works to Los Angeles in 2014.