image from altamira.blogspot.com
Tattoos of the Future
Most people are very opinionated regarding tattoos. Some like them on other people, but could never imagine getting one themselves. Others cannot wait to turn 18 to decorate their bodies with all the symbols they feel reflect their life. And some just cannot stand them whether they are on themselves or on another person. Tattoos are often considered a fashion statement. They are a way to express what kind of style you like, your personality, or to help you create a certain persona. A huge factor for many however, is the permanency of the tattoo. I know many people who would love to get one … if they could erase it painlessly in two decades or so. Many don’t love the idea of being a seventy-five year old grandparent with a butterfly “tramp stamp” or looking like a wrinkled brick building covered in graffiti.
Luckily for those of you who want to get inked yet have commitment issues, there is a new technology you might find interesting. Scientists are working on electronic tattoos that are implanted in the body underneath the skin. The electronic circuits are inserted under the skin using a silicon-silk device that eventually dissolves into the body. After the silk is gone, only the silicon electronic chips are left in the body. The material is flexible making the electronics capable of conforming to the shape of the body’s tissue. These tattoos can function as LED display screens turning a person’s skin into a video screen. The tattoos could project patterns, designs, television and, potentially, blood sugar readings. Also, they can be turned on and off at the user’s command.
I’m not sure how the scientists envisioned this project working out, but I see the future of the punk population trading in their old still life tattoos for these crazy, moving, blinking ones. I am pretty uncomfortable with the thought of humans turning into something out of a sci-fi movie and becoming walking versions of the Las Vegas strip. As a form of self-expression, I have no issue in tattoos and find that at times they can look quite artistic. If a person wishes to display something that represents who they are on their skin, that is their choice, and, if done well, it can really add to their appearance. Take Angelina Jolie, for example. She would not be nearly as exotic without her array of artistic tattoos. Or David Beckham, he would simply not be Beckham without his signature ink.
Being someone who can barely commit to anything, the permanency of a tattoo is not something with which I can reconcile. While the idea that a tattoo can be turned on and off is intriguing, the thought of being implanted with electrodes is not. I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that these morphing tattoos don’t grace the runways or the streets for a while and remain being studied for medical purposes. So, for the time being, I’m going to stick to having my skin look the way it was meant to be, LED technology free.
David Beckham and Angelina Jolie
Images from google images
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Runway Reality
As an avid fashion follower, there is nothing more exciting to me than seeing what is shown at fashion week. Well, actually, there is nothing more exciting to me than seeing the photographs of what was shown at fashion week posted online. As the pictures go up, I sit at my computer for hours glued to my computer screen scrolling through every piece of each collection that my favorite designers have created. It is so exciting to see how the old silhouettes have changed and what completely new ideas have been created.
I loved the Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 Ready-To-Wear (RTW) collection so much that I e-mailed a few of the runways shots to my friend to share in my feeling of awe. The collection was a mix between futuristic and animalistic styles, full of uniquely constructed silhouettes, and lots of short dresses in vivid, complex prints. And let’s not forget the shoes, which were constructed in a way that I have never seen before. However, her response was not exactly what I expected. “Whoa,” she said, “that collection is really cool. But who would ever wear that stuff?”. To me, I thought of these designs as individual pieces of art. Each one was like a sculpture because of its construction and a painting because of the intricate patterns. I considered them to be created solely for artistic purposes and hadn’t completely thought about how the public would conceive their wear-ability.
Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 RTW
To demonstrate the wear-ability of their clothing to the public, designers look to celebrities to wear their clothes and start trends that include their pieces. In her latest music video, Bad Romance, Lady Gaga is seen wearing an Alexander McQueen ensemble straight from the runway. Lady Gaga enthusiasts will see this look and understand that she is wearing it as a costume but will make note of the futuristic trend. In a more tangible setting, Camilla Belle was seen wearing only a dress from the McQueen collection. In this setting, you see that a piece on it’s own is completely wearable, but looks gorgeous in a real life. When you dissect the individual runway looks, you discover that there are many great, original pieces. You realize that you don’t have to be Lady Gaga dancing in a futuristic music video to wear McQueen.
I loved the Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 Ready-To-Wear (RTW) collection so much that I e-mailed a few of the runways shots to my friend to share in my feeling of awe. The collection was a mix between futuristic and animalistic styles, full of uniquely constructed silhouettes, and lots of short dresses in vivid, complex prints. And let’s not forget the shoes, which were constructed in a way that I have never seen before. However, her response was not exactly what I expected. “Whoa,” she said, “that collection is really cool. But who would ever wear that stuff?”. To me, I thought of these designs as individual pieces of art. Each one was like a sculpture because of its construction and a painting because of the intricate patterns. I considered them to be created solely for artistic purposes and hadn’t completely thought about how the public would conceive their wear-ability.
Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 RTW
But designers clearly need to make a living. They are people just like you and I. And if their designs are so radical that no one can wear them, why are they created and shown at over the top shows? Alexander McQueen has been a successful brand for years; therefore, people must be buying these outrageous outfits. Which leads to the question of who these people are and where are they wearing these extravagant designs? Only a small population would be able to afford any of these pieces and an even smaller population would be able to look good in one of these dresses.
A runway show is there to inspire creativity and give the masses fresh ideas on how to dress and what styles to embrace. The fashion show (which can sometimes seem like a wild performance) is used not only to showcase the designer’s art, but also to help us understand it. For example, McQueen’s runway show illustrates the mindset and concept behind his designs. At the Spring 2010 RTW show, the models were made up to resemble aliens with space-age hair and make-up that did not necessarily look human. Seeing the clothing in the context of the runway show, we understand the theme and concept behind the collection.
Camilla Belle in Alexander McQueen
To demonstrate the wear-ability of their clothing to the public, designers look to celebrities to wear their clothes and start trends that include their pieces. In her latest music video, Bad Romance, Lady Gaga is seen wearing an Alexander McQueen ensemble straight from the runway. Lady Gaga enthusiasts will see this look and understand that she is wearing it as a costume but will make note of the futuristic trend. In a more tangible setting, Camilla Belle was seen wearing only a dress from the McQueen collection. In this setting, you see that a piece on it’s own is completely wearable, but looks gorgeous in a real life. When you dissect the individual runway looks, you discover that there are many great, original pieces. You realize that you don’t have to be Lady Gaga dancing in a futuristic music video to wear McQueen. Designers like Alexander McQueen are the real geniuses because they can create clothing that is both wearable and art. Next time you see a runway show with seemingly impractical clothing remember two things. Know that the catwalk is a showcase of the designer’s art and examine the individual pieces as something that can be worn.
images from style.com and lefashionimage.blogspot.com
images from style.com and lefashionimage.blogspot.com
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