Hacking Couture

I should be learning, but the internet simply offers too much interes- sting and fascinating infor- mation (I should be working on a pc without internet access or outside on a bench in the sun walking the dog...

Today I discovered hacking couture via modabot and it's probably the most interessting project I've came across the last couple of weeks.

What's it all about:

I try to explain it as simple as possible (for a more detailed description please visit modabot (german!) or HC's website).

Giana Pilar González - founder of hacking couture - focusses on the codes of established fashion identities in order to derive new and evolving fashion aesthetics, serving also a platform for self-expression and nest for new ideas.
hacking basically means braking into a system and modifying it in order for it to execute the desired task. Well and that's what she does.

For example as in the case of Yves Saint Laurent: What we see on YSL runways, eds, ads, wherever from the beginning until today can be deciphered into single elements - these element which constitute as a whole what a design identity represents - such as "themes" like androgyny vs. feminity, cultural appropriation or the colours black, white and pink.

We can all partici- pate:

"Once the code has been documented Hacking Couture publishes an example of a design hack based on the identity studied, in order to share and enhance the fashion dialogue between remote users, and participants of the Hacking Couture workshops." [...] (website)

I absolutely love the bow-purse as an adaption of the large pink bow on that famous black 80s YSL dress. Yeah. It's a purse made of parachute material! Isn't it great? More pictures you'll find here.

Workshops aren't the only thing hacking couture offers. You can also submit your designs. Well it's open source!!! And you should definitely check out their flickr account. An endless source of inspiration!!!

much much more on hacking couture

Codes that have been hacked so far:
Chanel
YSL
Polo

The gap between fashion (design) and art would be closed if they wouldn't only concentrate on visible elements like fabrics, themes, colours etc, but would also include more abstract elements like receptions and feelings. That would give it a absolut new dimension!

Credit: All pictures taken from hacking-couture.com