Reality，Reality'

Category: Accessories

The project "Reality ~ Reality'" aims to reignite people's connection to real life by reactivating their physical senses, countering the numbness caused by escapism through activities like gambling, virtual gaming, or substance use. This sensory project explores the weight and physicality of the human body through a blend of limbs, prosthetics, garments, and behaviours. By engaging with specially designed "receptacles" that transform from empty shells to tangible extensions of the body, the wearer experiences heightened bodily awareness through intentional, weight-sensing positions, such as lifting a knee with one hand. The title ‘Reality ~ Reality’’ draws from the geometric concept of similarity, where two objects, though separate, share identical shapes and proportions. In geometry, if two objects are similar, one can be exactly reproduced by uniformly scaling the other. For instance, two triangles with proportional corresponding sides and angles are considered similar, denoted as △ABC ~ △A'B'C'. This idea of similarity reflects my exploration of two realities that are distinct yet fundamentally alike. The piece is named Knee Swing. The body of the bag is made by wet-molding vegetable-tanned leather over a cast of a bent knee. The design allows the leg to bend so the knee can be placed inside the bag. A glove integrated into the top of the strap enables the hand to slip in and lift both the bag and the knee together. From the act of wearing to the sensation of the knee’s weight being felt through the hand, the piece offers a complete sensory experience. This project stands at the intersection of body, accessory, and garment, and my intention is to break the boundaries between all three. I consider my designs to be ‘embodied fashion’ which suggest a series of performative activities that promote a re-connection to the body through sensory perception. I am dedicated to representing the human body through the intricate craftsmanship of wet-molded leather, creating pieces that act as extensions of the body. These crafted leather forms are designed to be worn, allowing the wearer to experience a sense of unity between their own body and an 'empty' form. Garment elements such as cuffs, shorts, trousers, and jackets serve as connections, symbolise the fusion between the crafted body and the real one. The collection features radical accessories that originate in the body, are worn, carry its weight, and become part of it. These pieces not only enhance bodily awareness but also reaffirm self-identity through sensory engagement. I see my designs as being witty and surreal in their expression, but at their core they discuss ideas about human beings, their physical existence, and their psychological complexity.