Artificial Home

Category: Apparel

This design is inspired by the often-overlooked relationship between hermit crabs and human behavior, focusing on how environmental changes quietly affect their survival. Hermit crabs naturally rely on discarded shells as their homes, but this cycle has been disrupted by increasing human activity. When people collect shells from beaches as souvenirs, they unknowingly take away the “homes” that hermit crabs depend on, forcing them to adapt by using plastic caps or other man-made waste. This conflicting yet real phenomenon became the starting point of this design. Through observing this situation, I was deeply drawn to the ideas of “replacement” and “adaptation.” The strong contrast between natural and artificial elements led me to explore how this tension could be translated into design. By transforming materials and structures, natural elements are reinterpreted through artificial means, expressing a relationship of conflict and coexistence. In addition, the concept of “protection” plays a crucial role. For hermit crabs, a shell is not only a home, but also a symbol of safety and identity. By translating this idea into fashion design, I aim to explore how humans, like hermit crabs, seek protection, identity, and a sense of belonging in an ever-changing environment. This inspiration originates from a small ecological phenomenon, yet it reflects a much broader issue—how human actions can unintentionally reshape the lives of other species, and even influence our own way of existence.