
The project 'Scentient Beings' invents a new
science of aroma delivery focusing on
smell and the impact it has on health and
wellbeing. It explores the concept of Re-cabling
Fashion, by implanting smell technology into
multi-sensorial clothing. The project promotes
wellness by boosting therapeutic qualities
concentrating on a more active approach to
fashion design, introducing the living dress
as a sensitive Smart Second Skin.
By comparing fabric to skin with it's own
personal scent symphony that changes with
emotion, the fabric comes alive through
smell by a process in which the wearer gives
life to the dress. Smart Second Skin interacts
with human emotions whereby the aroma dimension
is an integral part of the wearers total
wellness sensory experience. Inspired by
a quote from J.G Ballard and the mechanics
of the human body, Smart Second Skin acts
as a new emotional layer: "Fashion
is the recognition that nature has endowed
us with one skin too few, that a fully sentient
being should wear its nervous system externally".
The dress mimics the body's circulation
system, the senses and scent glands. The
veins and arteries flow freely as the new
interactive fabric emitting a selection
of scents depending on your mood. It has
its own nervous system, which allows the
wearer to control the emotional wellbeing
of the garment. Using a theory that human
biology can be modelled as micro mechanisms
- biological functions such as skin, organs
and a beat of a pulsating heart can be miniaturised
forming the basis of an integrated communication
system so that it rivals nature's own capillaries.
Aromatic messages are actively 'pulsed'
electronically through a cabling system,
to key points of the body in order to activate
the smell centre.
The project also explores a pair of intimate
sensitive shoes. Pressure points are stimulated
whilst walking by pressing on a soft sensitive
area that corresponds with various reflexology
points causing a gentle glow from the underside
of the sole. The ball of the foot touches
on the solar plexus point, the centre of
emotional energy offering a 'bath of light'
so that the act of walking is healing.
The Smart Second Skin dress allows the
wearer to enter a sixth dimension by creating
a rainbow symphony of aromas. This makes
us more aware of our own smell sensory universe,
which has the capacity to expand our sensory
repertoire towards the sixth sense. The
wearer could deliver a spray of magic wellness
molecules to create their own personal 'smell
bubble'. As a Scentient Being we respond
better to our chosen scent, the smell that
works with us in our 'aroma rainbow'. It
provides aroma molecules for the right moment
for the right effect, triggers new emotions
and enhances the intimate contact with other
living things. We develop a new hypersensitivity,
learn new and stimulating pleasures and
recreate lost memories.
The Smart Second Skin dress paves the
way to an expanded life, making the most
of
what are senses have to offer. Multi-sensory
enhancement makes the senses more effective
to enjoy the experience of sensing reality.
It increases creativity, expressions and
visions, sparks little reminders, expands
colour, texture, sounds and taste, pushing
the boundaries of the senses that we didn't
know we had. It gives us a deeper sense
of life, a sense of exhilaration, a sharper
mind and a world of beauty seen in a different
light. We smell different and are more
aware of what is around us, changing our
feelings,
our body chemistry and body odour. It transforms
negative mood states into good 'scentsations',
releasing scents to help sleep, boost confidence,
relax, energise, arouse, increase self-esteem,
expand the imagination and open your sense
of wonder.
More information at www.e-culturefair.nl |