Constance Guisset looked to the "iconic" silhouette of a superhero's cape when creating this colourful collection of children's coat hangers for French brand Leblon Delienne.
Called Super Hanger, the design features a single piece of shaped plastic that curves inwards at the "neck" to resemble the outline of a cape worn by superheroes in pop culture comics and films.
Available in three colour combinations – red and blue, yellow and blue, and plain black – the hangers are crafted from PVC and ABS plastic and feature subtle pleating to create the illusion of the cape ruffling in the wind.
The hanger is constructed so that the coat fits inside the shape of the cape. This allows the product to look like a superhero floating in mid-air.
"Leblon Delienne always plays with pop culture and superheroes are pop culture icons. They are easily recognisable worldwide, a part of a common culture. I was interested in working with such a symbol, in looking for its essence," Guisset told Dezeen.
"The idea was to invite you to place your coat under the cape. It reminds you that you are an everyday superhero. You leave with your coat on and your secret identity stays at home," she said.
The Paris-based designer wanted to create a product that conveys the "power and elegance" of a superhero without being too literal.
"The cape is a common yet complex attribute of many superheroes – it is what you want to hide as it is a part of your secret identity and what you want to display when you are on a mission," she explained.
"It also reminds us of many other powerful figures. Kings wear capes, for instance," she said.
The designer spent time working with the materials to ensure that she had found the best shape for the hangers.
"We did a lot of research and models in order to find the right shape. I tried to make it more and more abstract from one model to another. For instance, I wondered if it also needed a mask or what was the right height of the collar," said Guisset.
"The cape needed to convey movement, like when it is floating in the air, but without too many details. The pleats were precisely designed in order to remind us of a superhero cape, with minimum elements," she explained.
This is not the first time Guisset has referenced superheroes in her designs. Her stackable steel chair for French brand Matière Grise is based on the contoured form of Batman's mask and cape.