Designed by Anouk Wipprecht, this arachnid inspired bodice
has been blowing up the 3d printing scene.
With the assistance of Intel technology, the spider dress has the
ability to sense if someone or something is too close, which causes it’s “legs”
to reach out in warning. Wipperecht has created
a fascinating interactive wearable that is truly thought provoking.
The design is armor-like, an exoskeleton, which is very reminiscent
of comic book heroines such as the likes of Sara Pezzini from Withblade or Sarah Kerrigan from Starcraft.
Looking at the piece you get a sense of its intention right
away, in no way does this costume look friendly. The extended limbs already give the viewer a
sense of preservation, to proceed with caution.
I can imagine how jarring it could be when realizing that these limbs
are not static architectural pieces, but instead, react to your presence.
It creates a uniquely silent conversation between wearer and
viewer; by action you are told you are invading the wearer’s personal
space. I often run into the difficulty
of getting bumped or shoved, having someone lean to close to me on the bus,
uncomfortable, but rather mundane encounters with other people whilst going
about my day by day. Now imagine a world
where this outfit was the norm, having a clothing device that wards off another
person; A veil of protection. In that
regard this seems to be a very isolating piece, which makes the curved line use
around the abdomen less sensual and a little more reserved, even stand off-ish.
Overall I really enjoy the roles that play out when viewing
the piece. The initial uneasiness that the
design invokes, to the sudden unexpected movement of the spider’s legs, and
that leads to the nervous laughter given off by viewers as they slink back to a
safer distance. It’s a brilliant tug of tension through a simple flinch mechanic
that we see so often in ourselves and nature, but it’s completely unexpected in
our clothing choices.
Sources:
Video is youtube channel
Starcraft Screenshot: Blizzard
Sara Pezzini: Top Cow Comics
Frontal Shot: Screenshot by Michelle Starr/CNET
