OPEN SOURCE FASHION: fashion for the masses by the masses

This advancement has been the result of opening the dialogue among computer programmers and by allowing public access and contribution, by the sharing of existing computer code and allowing its use for other applications. In addition to the sharing aspect, documention of these computer code is an importnat part of the open source cullture. More recently, the open source movement has been applied to hardware [physical aspect of computers, the circuit and all the other physical components that make a computer*]. People have started to document how they hack into electronic devices [brake into a system and modify it in order for it to execute the desired task].

Hacking Couture's ongoing research and documentation focuses on the documentation of the design code of established identities in order to derive new and evolving fashion aesthetics, serving also as a platform for
self-expression and nest for new ideas.
*When we refer to computers, we refer to any device that incorporates a micro-controller of chip. Some examples these devices are mp3 players, microwaves, printers, etc.

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.

Resources: Yves Saint Laurent : images of design 1958-1988 , Yves Saint Laurent : Forty Years of Creation , more about YSL in Wikipedia

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Bow-Purse materials: water resistant fabric [used for parachute construction], black velcro, plastic zipper.

front and back

Detachable Ruffled Skirt materials: fuseable interfacing, mouslin, white plastic zippers

The Pieces

Zipping the pieces up

Related workshops YSL HACK at PRATT , YSL vs. POLO HACK at NYU
View other CODES

POLO

Polo is a generic identity. Many designers and labels present this kind of design within their lines. Cross-labels this design has manage to maintain an constant visual identity given the simplicity of its design code, and arrangement. The original material is knitted-cotton, but sometimes is slightly modified by the label who produces it. Also the proportions could varied, but the basic elements are maintained: the Collar and tennis tail.

The historical background of the shirt is found in tennis. What is today a Polo shirt started as a tennis shirt invented by the legendary tennis player René "Crocodile" Lacoste. At the time there was not an appropriate attire to play the sport, and tennis players were uncomfortable using dress shirts. The legendary logo, a crocodile , was Lacoste's nickname, after he bet to the captain of the French Davis Cup team that he will win this game. What he would receive in return was a crocodile-skin suitcase. He had embroidered on his blazer that he wore in the court, his very personal tag: a crocodile. During the 1930's british polo players , started to copy Lacoste's creation.

During the 1960's Ralph Lauren in his quest to create a label that represented a sophisticated all american style [old money + country club] created the label Polo, in which he appropriated Lacoste's design and replaced the crocodile with a logo depicting the a polo player. Throughout the 60's and 70's the shirt was adopted as uniform for preparatory school [the stereotype was inspired on elite East Coast Colleges and Universities], which later derived the "preppy" style . After going mainstream the polo shirt became the standard uniform for tech service companies and also for other service companies like Fedex, UPS, etc.