Mariana Ma Photography
House of iKons London SS19
September 2018
Photographer: Mariana MA for World Fashion Media News
House of iKons London SS19
September 2018
Photographer: Mariana MA for World Fashion Media News
HONEE
“ÁI”
My Solo show this Spring/Summer 2019 collection is named “ÁI”, which is a nod on the English word Artificial Intelligent that is found on the runway, but also the word Ái - the phoenetic Chinese word and Vietnamese word for love.
Ohmnilabs, the maker of the Telepresence robot, which was originally intended for healthcare purposes, providing assistance to seniors and mobility to ill children, now connecting with people remotely, gave me the opportunity to have their robots graced my runway. I coudn’t say no to the partnership since it would be the first for London Fashion Week with robots walking its runway.
As an industrial cum fashion designer, I love technology and machinery; I want to show the public that technological advancements such as AI aren’t futuristic concepts. These resources are here, reaching the level of importance in contemporary human life that I feel is similar to a beloved deity.
We get addicted to our computers, iPads and smartphones. Technology is the new god! We are ushering in the new god through our time at the altar of these tablets. We are ushering in a new dogma.
Although we are reliance on technology, I hope to show that robotics should be embraced. When used properly, robotics can provide tools for completing menial tasks and chores, thereby affording more freedom for humans to engage in activities that they love, which produces greater joy.
Fashion is a language that is common to all. We can all speak the same language of the skins that we’re in. I am using it to voice my thoughts on various topics like my previous collections; mostly it’s social commentary through the medium of fabrics. Most of my pieces that I’ve done before were more artful and out of the ordinary in terms of everyday wear. I think this time—because I want to showcase the ability to interact with the now and present—This collection is still ultra-hyped but commercially viable. When you wear a piece of Honee, you should feel that you’re wearing a piece of artwork.
People are expecting something that is futuristic, but I wanted to show that the presence is here, thus I used natural textiles like cotton, silk, leather and feathers in bold colors and an array of silhouettes, a marriage between the inorganic with the organic, in contrast with the robots.
I had 2 robots on the runway with the House of Ikons, which I named Adam and Eve, both were bejeweled in Swarovski, with Adam in Rhinestone crystals and pyramid silver studs in contrast to Eve in white, red Swarovski crystals and frilly lace. I chose not to deck the robots in clothing because I wanted to show that robots are accessories to human lives, not the humans equal.
There is concern that robots will replace human models. I have no intention of exclusively using robots on the runway in the future as there is something fascinating about the way a body moves, which a robot can’t. The energy from a robot is always very synthetic. The energy from human beings—it’s living, breathing, different. You can never replace that.
I am surprised to know that the BBC 1-minute video segment on me and the first robots to walk the London runway has garnered more than 300,000,000 views, the most watched. This tells me that fascination with robots are deep and fashion is the common language.
Ohmnilabs, the maker of the Telepresence robot, which was originally intended for healthcare purposes, providing assistance to seniors and mobility to ill children, now connecting with people remotely, gave me the opportunity to have their robots graced my runway. I coudn’t say no to the partnership since it would be the first for London Fashion Week with robots walking its runway.
As an industrial cum fashion designer, I love technology and machinery; I want to show the public that technological advancements such as AI aren’t futuristic concepts. These resources are here, reaching the level of importance in contemporary human life that I feel is similar to a beloved deity.
We get addicted to our computers, iPads and smartphones. Technology is the new god! We are ushering in the new god through our time at the altar of these tablets. We are ushering in a new dogma.
Although we are reliance on technology, I hope to show that robotics should be embraced. When used properly, robotics can provide tools for completing menial tasks and chores, thereby affording more freedom for humans to engage in activities that they love, which produces greater joy.
Fashion is a language that is common to all. We can all speak the same language of the skins that we’re in. I am using it to voice my thoughts on various topics like my previous collections; mostly it’s social commentary through the medium of fabrics. Most of my pieces that I’ve done before were more artful and out of the ordinary in terms of everyday wear. I think this time—because I want to showcase the ability to interact with the now and present—This collection is still ultra-hyped but commercially viable. When you wear a piece of Honee, you should feel that you’re wearing a piece of artwork.
People are expecting something that is futuristic, but I wanted to show that the presence is here, thus I used natural textiles like cotton, silk, leather and feathers in bold colors and an array of silhouettes, a marriage between the inorganic with the organic, in contrast with the robots.
I had 2 robots on the runway with the House of Ikons, which I named Adam and Eve, both were bejeweled in Swarovski, with Adam in Rhinestone crystals and pyramid silver studs in contrast to Eve in white, red Swarovski crystals and frilly lace. I chose not to deck the robots in clothing because I wanted to show that robots are accessories to human lives, not the humans equal.
There is concern that robots will replace human models. I have no intention of exclusively using robots on the runway in the future as there is something fascinating about the way a body moves, which a robot can’t. The energy from a robot is always very synthetic. The energy from human beings—it’s living, breathing, different. You can never replace that.
I am surprised to know that the BBC 1-minute video segment on me and the first robots to walk the London runway has garnered more than 300,000,000 views, the most watched. This tells me that fascination with robots are deep and fashion is the common language.
