Recession produced a specific design response: garments that do several jobs instead of one. Two examples show how differently the same idea can be executed.
The zipper dress
The dress is built from 120 separate zips, and the zips are the construction rather than a fastening detail. Opening and closing different combinations reconfigures the garment entirely.
The same piece can serve as a belt, an evening gown or a T-shirt. Altering the neckline and the sleeve length produces further variations, each with a distinct look.
The first dress of this kind was handmade in black and silver, to a design by Sebastian Errazuriz.
What makes it interesting is that the versatility is structural. Most convertible garments offer a fixed set of predetermined configurations. A garment assembled from 120 independent closures has a far larger range, because the wearer decides which zips to use.
The eight-in-one scarf
The second approach is the opposite: minimal construction, maximum flexibility from how it is worn.
A single neck scarf converts into eight garments:
- A dress
- A skirt
- A boob-tube style top
- A poncho
- A pashmina
- A hood
- A belt
- A hand muff
Loie Levine of the Magic Scarf Company described it as “the ultimate accessory” and “almost an entire wardrobe in one”.
It was priced at £6.50 and was machine washable at low temperatures. Online sales in Britain reached £170,000.
Two routes to the same goal
The contrast is instructive. The zipper dress achieves versatility through engineering, with 120 mechanisms doing the work. The scarf achieves it through having no structure at all, so nothing constrains how it is draped.
The second is cheaper by two orders of magnitude, and the sales figure suggests which approach the market preferred.
Frequently asked questions
How many zips are in the zipper dress?
120 separate zips, which form the construction of the garment rather than acting as fastenings.
Who designed the zipper dress?
Sebastian Errazuriz. The first was handmade in black and silver.
What can the scarf be worn as?
A dress, skirt, boob-tube top, poncho, pashmina, hood, belt or hand muff.
This report dates from 2009.
