PROCESS
Generally, this project is about time and space, how to use space ( garment ) to express or recreate a peiod of time ( process ), how to make a story or experience between the space ( garment ) and the user of the space ( wearer ).
Everything started from my childhood memory, there's a period I was crazy about plastic model kits and robot toys such as Transformers and Gundam, I bought them from shop because of TV series and anime but when I open the box I found that the most attractive point of those toys is the process of making them, refitting them or transforming them , an experience of playing with them. "Process" is the title and the theme of this project, it is a word base on a time line. "Process" means a series of things that happened in a period of time, it is a description of a series of progressive relationships between the beginning and the end. It doesn't relate to a stable condition but an erratic condition that include unlimited possibilities. Started from long long ago , humankind used the change of the position ( like sun ) or the transform of shape ( like age) to count time, it’s all about space, people use the change of space to describe a period, that is what we call “ Time” . Oppositely, when we started to use a time line to count the change of space, it called “ Process ”. Therefore I started from here to design and develop a series of transformable spaces ( garment ) which enable the wearer interact with the garment and I try to use video as a media ( time line) to express the change of the space . ( click the link below to watch my experimental video “ toile display” : https://vimeo.com/208056878 )
Back to the very beginning of this project, it is the similarities between garment patterns and plastic model pieces remind me of the period I played with those toys. The process of making a garment for me is quite similar with making a Gunpla toy, from 2D ( For garment is pattern, for Gunpla is flat plastic pieces ) to 3D ( for garment is the construction shape, for gunpla is the robot shape ). Therefore, I started to think about if the making process is similar between Gunpla and garments, why not the using process ( or say the playing process ) ? Then I found 4 specialities of Gunpla toys which I can express in my collection that may will help to build a series of “ garment version ” gunpla toys, which are Reconstruction engineering, Transform ability, Human simulation and engineering stickers arrangement.
1.Reconstruction engineering: Relate to the reconstructable structure of Gunpla toys, a lot of active joints or plugs was set around the body of Gunpla toys for fitting different size and function equipments. I used press stud system and velcros, buttons to simulate the condition in my collection. ( APTX-4869 skinny trouser, APTX-4872 short long trousers etc. )
2.Transform ability: Relate to same of the transformable structure of Gunpla toys and Trasnsformers. Some of them can fully transform from robot shape to vehicles or weapons, some can do the partly transformation such as hands to weapons or legs to vehicles. So in this section, I also classify my transformable clothes as 3 kind : Fully Transform ( LX-78-2 trucker jacket, LX-06-F hoodie tunic etc. ), Partly Transform ( MSM-01 shirt, WOTW-01,02 mobile suit, APTX-4871 trouser etc. ) and Cooperation Transform ( WOTW-04 parka, WOTW-MRK knit etc.
3.Human simulation: Almost all of those Gunpla or Transformer toys has a human based look, with heads, eyes, noses, legs end even fingers. So I try to use this element in my collection as also, using helmets, gloves, spine shape to simulate the human body shape. ( WOTW-01,02 MOBILE SUIT, etc. )
4.Engineering stickers arrangement: Those plastic toys always come with engineering stickers in the box for player to make a military technical post modern look. This idea originally comes from the paintings and marks on the surface of tanks and Warcraft in WW2. I try to make my own version of “stickers” and use different way such as embroidery or sublimation print to put those marks on the clothes of my collection, to make a post-modern ironic sense.
Technically, in fabric aspect, I used a lot of polyester and nylon in this collection because the small pieces “ stickers ” on each garment was made by sublimation print tech, and this tech only works on a small range of fabric choices which include polyester and nylon. I also try to use some coating or remixing tech fabric to make a future relate mood for my collection. In trimming aspect, I used a lot of filming and taping tech to do the development and finishing for my garment, try to explore the multi-function usage of those rubber-based trimmings. Also for zips, press studs, elastic, Velcro, metal trimmings, I started to find my own way to deal with those trimmings. Generally, in this collection, what I focus on is the system design rather than the shapes or silhouette. What I mentioned “system” here is a concept of new way to “use” or “wear” a garment, much like the operation system of computer ( ios and windows are 2 different way to do the same thing ), also the “system” concept will not be influenced by the costing or budgets or markets which can also be understood as different version of windows suit for different computer configurations and can match different market requests. Simply said, the garments in this collection is a display board of my systems, each piece can be keep developing more to be more complicate or less to match different request , it is actually like an open system of computer science.
Further more, this project is a continue-exploration of “ super-reality functional ” garment which is a concept I developed in the Adidas collaboration project which is about using the stacking of functional elements to make a unfunctional decorative stuff, it is about exploring the edge of functionalism and decorationism by using the opposite and look for the new possibilities of functional menswear.
