Adornments that deploy robotic wings when someone gets too close or change colour when the wearer is embarrassed have been designed for introverts by Goldsmiths graduate Lilian Hipolyte Mushi.
"Layers we wear are the first boundary into our personal space," says Lilian Hipolyte Mushi. "These structures allow introverts to gradually change their personal temperament continuum."
When someone comes within just over 80 centimetres of the wearer of a dress covered with distance sensors, wooden arms shoot out into a fan from the back to keep people at arms length.
A pleated hood covered in thermochromic pigments gradually changes colour with fluctuations in body heat, which can occur when the wearer is shy or embarrassed.
The pleated sleeves of another garment are embedded with Nitinol wire, a shape-memory alloy that becomes rigid when heated. This expands the arms to twice the size and then collapses them back when cool, again highlighting changes in body temperature.
"This project explores how introverts use isolation as a mechanism for social recharge as well as a way to navigate social situations," says the Goldsmiths graduate. "Furthermore, it is an exploration into how the psychology of introverts can be used in our societies and begs to find new ways to help people with social problems such as isolation and loneliness."
An Introvert's Transformation to Extroversion was on display at part one of the New Designers graduate exhibition in London, which ran from 27 to 29 June. Part two of the event takes place from 3 to 6 July.
Previously we've featured dresses that become see-through when the wearer's heart rate increases and garments that move and light up when someone stares at them, which are both included in our digital fashion archive.
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This project explores how introverts use isolation as a mechanism for social recharge as well as a way to navigate social situations. Furthermore, it is an exploration into how the psychology of introverts can be used in our societies and begging to find new ways to help people with social problems such as isolation and loneliness.
"Yes I am an introvert, no I am not shy".
These introverts have the ability to transform into extroverts in social situations by extending the boundaries of their introversion. Their battleground is the politics of personal space versus public space boundaries.
They have devised ways to find a balance between blending in and standing out, by using engineered structures to aid their transformation, whilst protecting their social identities in a world designed for extroverts.
Layers we wear are the first boundary into our personal space; these structures allow introverts a gradual change on their personal temperament continuum.
They aim to spread the power of introverts by sparking conversation amongst their spectators who admire them; and question the choices we make, of presenting and re-presenting ourselves.
Proxemics Protector
Distance sensor controls the space around this introvert’s body, deploying robotic inverted wings when a spectator is within 80.429cm of their proxemics.
Space Inflator
Nitinol Memory wire in the garment’s arms, allows this introvert's body form to change state by inflating the arm structure when they are extroverted and collapsing when introverted.
Temperament Transformer
Thermal Chromic colour pigments display the gradual transformation process of this introvert by changing colour as they transform back and forth on the Introvert – Extrovert continuum.