“There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line. “ –Oscar Levant
Website Homepage
Hide and Seek
- Houdini disappearing/ reappearing hologram
- Platform
- Chelsea boot
Duck Duck Ryan Gosling
- Ryan Gosling hologram
- Duck shaped cutouts
- Duck zipper tab
Boxball
Footbed
- Bed embroidery
- Glow in the dark stitching
Freeze Tag Tag
A see saw lifts up and down. Oscar Wilde explained this in his quote, “The way of paradoxes is the way of truth. To test reality we must see it on the tight-rope.” When the Verities become acrobats we can judge them.” See Saw walks on the slack line between reality++++++fantasy.
“See Saw” is a footwear and accessory collection that takes a literal approach to “playlist” by creating a series of games and illusions. Any English-speaking adult would associate the word playlist with a compilation of music. But this is an association that develops through cultural influence. A child would likely approach the word literally, assuming that “playlist” is a list of ways to play.
I am going to incorporate Scanimation (See corresponding Scanimation page,) the technique employed by Rufus Butler Sedar, to create the appearance of shape shifting heels. Each heel will be an abstraction of a way to play. For example, one heel represents a pogo stick by appearing to spring as the wearer walks. Another will represent a merry-go-round through shapes that spin around the shoe with motion. As a human lifts her feet up and down, she creates an interactive experience, much like a human who rides a see saw up and down.
See Saw values literal interpretation. "To define a thing is to substitute the definition for the thing itself." (George Braque) The foot bed of the shoe will be stitched in the shape of a bed. The lip of the heel will have an extruding saw symbol. “Those who wore the shoe stamped everything they saw” said the marketing executive at See Saw who preferred not to disclose their name. Customers will be encouraged to post pictures of the sites that they stamped and “#seesaw” on Instagram and other social networking sites. There will be a monthly giveaway for the most “liked” post. The snaps on the shoes will be shaped like snapping turtles.
By approaching words literally, rather than through a cultural context, I am forcing the viewer to question which interpretation is correct. And by incorporating illusions and puzzles into the collection, I am further confusing the viewer. Enigmas force us to question what we see, thereby removing preconceptions and inflicting insanity upon the viewer. Humans often dress with the intention of creating illusions. Fashion is styled to enhance perceived appearance, wealth, and popularity. But it is time that fashion uses humans to create an illusion. Humans are inclined to disregard reason and conform to cultural norms. If reason does not align with society, is it “insane?” The world of games and puzzles follow the laws of logic. But in order to escape to this world, a human must escape reality. Humans consume knowledge, growing heavier with its weight and becoming increasingly stuck in their ways. But if we were to open our eyes to insanity, we would observe “the action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.” This is the definition of imagination. Insanity is imagination playing hide-and-seek.
The color pallet and silhouettes of See Saw are minimalistic as to not distract from the focus of the collection. The majority of the collection will consist of black, classic shapes. The chaos that exists within the designs will be incorporated subtly so that only those who wish to see it will. Many people in the fashion community have told me that there is no room for subtlety in design. These people have overlooked the room. Subtlety is the greatest tool in design, because it not only creates long lasting interest; it also establishes an elite group of observers. A piece becomes a treasure hunt for observers to discover details and decipher their meanings.
I want to appeal to the curious customer. The young adult who has not lost their interest in games, fun, and imagination will be attracted to the See Saw mission. The collection will also appeal to the LA hipster. The footwear is not outrageous, but rather saturated with details that will likely be overlooked upon initial once-overs. The collection, like a game, brings another world in a friendly form. The shoe’s morphing heels are quirky enough to attract the customer that desires to stand out yet fit in. The LA hipster is a trendier hipster than the New York version. Designers that share a similar aesthetic sense are Jeffrey Campbell, Blackmilk, Miista, Depression, Urban Outfitters, LF, Doc Martins, and Brandy Melville.
The See Saw aesthetic appeals to the shift in mentality regarding marijuana in America. Psychedelic prints, optical illusions, and philosophical thinking are associated with the drug. Designers are already beginning to embrace its legalization. Blackmilk, for example, created shoes with a marijuana print on them as well as shoes with optical illusions. I plan on incorporating the SS15’ trend, “Monogeo,” through my use of black and white optical illusion patterns.
I strive to revive conceptual fashion. Fashion is primarily a cycling of trends developed for the market but it could easily be translated into an art form. See Saw will incorporate surrealist mentality into a high fashion collection.
I am going to create this collection primarily through art specialization. I do not want to limit my vision to the skills and materials that I have access to. I do not have the means or capabilities produce a collection of shoes that is up to the standards of professional production. And because rendering is much a much faster process than production, I will be able to incorporate more of my ideas into the collection. I am going to create a video of a virtual runway to showcase the designs. I do plan on creating one shoe in order to give the viewer a better understanding of what the shoes actually look like. Because this collection is very theoretical, it is important to bring an aspect of tangibility to the presentation.
I am in the process of learning Rhinoceros and if I am able to get a sufficient grasp on the software, I would love to experiment with automated manufacturing. In 2014, key patents will end on Laser Sinistering Machines (production quality automated manufacturing machines) and it is likely that will plummet. As a result, their use will become much more prominent. I would love to take advantage of this technology and incorporate its use into See Saw. Laser Sinistering machines have the ability to print in metal which would enable me to print my own hardware. I would love to print plastic pieces of the collection and create some sunglasses. I can have these designs printed by Shapeways and it is likely that more outlets for automated manufacturing will become accessible to me in the near future.
