ALTR ISSUE 0.1 THE HOLY GRAIL
The_Holy_Grail Bringing synergy in four different disciplines, ALTR is the collective effort of four communication students adopting a global vision towards progressive fashion while contextualising it in an Indian diegesis. From the genesis of the first dress, fashion has evolved to the extent of becoming a hybrid with various artists, scientists, architects, designers and techies. ALTR follows fashion to this junction and brings across an alternative for those included in the culture of the rise and fall of a garment. ALTR 0.1
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chromat
chromatgarments.com
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CONTENTS ART
#DigiFeminism... 12 The Sound of Binary... 18 Everyday Geometry... 32 Rise of the Superhumans... 34 Class of 2030... 40
LIFESTYLE Liberating the wardrobe... 63 Upclose with Vidhu Vinod Chopra... 72 Digital Empowerment (greater than) Power Cuts... 74 Diverse Verses... 76 Just F(I)bbing... 80 Net Neutrality... 87
TECH Evolve... 94 Nanotech... 104 Technosensual Era of Fashion... 114
RETROSPECT World of Wearable Art... 120 Vision for the Future... 128 Smart Fashion... 135 Fashion v/s Tech... 138 Moore’s Law...148 Green Choices... 157
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ART
For decades, Women remained unnoticed. They wrote and painted under pseudonyms. DigiFeminism is a movement where women make themselves visible by arbitrating their digitally altered self portraits on various social media portals. ALTR JOINS THIS MOVEMENT.
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FEMINISM
F D D I G I
Not_MY
A-Game #DrishtiVij #NotAfraidofColour
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#SarahIshtiyaque #AvatarInDisguise
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#NikitaMahajan #AlternativelyInclined
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#SangyaNagar #Serendipity
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Musical revolutionaries Björk, FKA Twigs, Jesse Kanda, Arca & Yolandi Visser have pledged a vow to reflect personality and culture in their music in the digital era. Text // Visuals Sarah Ishtiyaque
Breaking Boundaries with
C
Björk
atapulting to fame as the lead singer of the alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, the singer-songwriter and composer with an unparalleled celestial voice Björk Guðmundsdóttir is rising in her quest to achieve alchemy among nature, music and technology with inexorably exacting speeds. She’s one among the eclectic bandwidth of iconoclasts that are paving the path to a world with re-defined fundamentals.
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escribing her innate association with nature as her early musings growing up in the scenic beauty of Reykjavík in Iceland, she composes her chord progressions much in the same manner as natural elements react with their physical surroundings. Eighth in a row of the nine albums she’s launched in her nearly three decades composing music, Biophilia, which debuted in 2011 employs an insouciant armoury of digital manifestation to mirror the stratospheric reach of her vocal stylings. The relentless urge to develop a succinct relationship between the digital structure of interactive media and musical ethics, led Björk in collaboration with Scandinavian education experts, scientists, music and science teachers, to launch her 10-song
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album in a series of song-specific apps for each of the ten songs, compatible with the iPad. Each song was a commemoration of a natural element and the recreation of its sound via instruments made especially for the songs like the use of Tesla coils for Thunderbolt, or a combination of gamelan and celesta to form a new instrument called “gameleste” for the single Crystalline. These singular apps were available for a combined interactive experience via a “mother app” and went onto be included in the curriculum of several European schools throughout the country under workshops conducted under the Biophilia Educational Program which were, “designed to inspire children to explore their own creativity, and to learn about music and science through new technologies,” according to the Biophilia Educational Program’s website. “In the beginning it (Biophilia) was supposed to be a music house, so I thought each song would be a room. And then it developed into how about it being a movie, so then each song became a scene in the movie. And then later when we were programming and I’d written 10 songs with musicology elements that matched 10 different natural elements, so the thing that started out
as 10 rooms in a music house or then become 10 scenes in a movie, became very easy to make into 10 apps for the iPad.” remarks Björk in an interview with Wired in 2013, of her creative process leading to the invention of one of the most lucrative and far-sighted collaborations between technology, music and nature that was included in the permanent collection of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2014.
“N
ew technology has always changed the face of music, and it’ll always continue to do so. The rate of technological changes is now far quicker than what it was even twenty years ago, so a lot of artists do take massive chances with new technology and it pays off for them. Back in the day (early 1900s), there was no way of reproducing records, so if more than one person wanted an album, then the artist would have to go perform the song again per album copy. Imagine if an artist had to sell a million copies they’d have to sing the song a million times! Now all that has changed and its exemplars we see in the far-sightedness of Björk’s work.” says 25 year-old, Surjo Bhattacharjee, upcoming singer and guitarist, of Björk’s body of work.
Bjรถrk, album cover art, Vulnicura, 2015.
Fusing R&B and Tech with FKA Twigs
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ahliah Debrett Barnett, christened FKA Twigs is in her own words “a pastiche of Siouxsie and the Banshees or Adam Ant.” The British singer-songwriter, producer and dancer is in every which way the tidal wave of novelty to take the music industry by storm with a voice that identifies with no defined genre in particular, but a culmination of emotional responses to exposing her whispery voice to certain atmospheres and combining them with the banalities of everyday sounds.
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wigs rose to fame with a series of YouTube videos she posted on her channel for each of the songs of her self-produced debut album EP1. Her connection with technology in the form of self- promotion on social media has been lucid since the beginning of her musical career. Her recurring attempts at the resuscitation of the British krump scene are evident in her directorial collaboration with British krump crew Wet Wipez and the inclusion of krumpers in her Google Glass advert titled #throughglass. Her association with a technological giant like Google was a step in Twigs’ life through which she wanted to reset the imagery perceived of her in the public eye. She remarks of the collaboration in an interview with Dazed & Confused, “They (Google) were great to work with. They let me do whatever I wanted to do, and I think that it was a great collaboration, because we met each other half-way and that’s what a collaboration should be.”
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FKA Twigs, #throughglass, 2014.
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Jesse Kanda, digital artwork.
The Art of the Macabre with Jesse Kanda
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the subconscious.” This innocence in thought is reminiscent of the imagery that Kanda uses in his work that he believes are a part of his subconscious; unadulterated, uncompromising and unrelenting. The use of software backing up the creation of his work and the internet helping him in the distribution of it, have been monumental in shaping Kanda’s artistic career of which he says, “It’s pretty much the only way (via the internet) that I’ve ever shown my work. I guess a lot of people see it really small. That’s a problem. With video, compression is really annoying for the artists. You work on this thing for ages, trying to make every pixel beautiful, and then you upload it and it looks like shit. How people perceive the work when they see it online is automatically ingrained in how I make things. I want every still to be beautiful. Wherever you pause it on the video, I want it to be beautiful. If you were just doing a video installation in a museum, you probably wouldn’t think of that. You’d think more about the time, the pacing, of having a lot more patience that you can use. That’s why doing TRAUMA at MoMA was so amazing.” Jesse Kanda and Acra’s joint venture comprising a seven-scene long series of music videos, of which the first installation was showcased at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York this year, received gargantuan acclaim. This receiving of the show, goes on to drive home the fact that Kanda is one among the rising army of young creative professionals that are here to stay.
isual art extraordinaire with a heart steeped in shades of intrinsically inhumane yet human tendencies, Jesse Kanda, of British songstress FKA Twigs’ ‘Water Me’ and Venezuelan music producer Acra’s videos’ fame, is still a child at heart despite the macabre innuendos that his art work might perpetrate.
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he Japanese-born, Canadian-raised Kanda has been honing his skills in the seclusion of his Dalston home for the last 10 years. In an interview with Dazed & Confused he states, “What’s fascinating to me is the pure intelligence you have in childhood – you say and do everything as soon as you see it. It’s the age when you’re closest to your subconscious too, because you’re not yet affected by the adult world. The subconscious filters into everything we do, every day. It’s part of everything: it’s where all the secrets come from, where art comes from, where anything fascinating or interesting is. If somebody sees something that is undeniably brilliant, it’s probably something that came from a spark within APRIL/MAY 2015 ALTR 25
Exploring Unchartered Waters with
Arca
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enezuelan producer Alejandro Ghersi AKA Arca has been democratising the landscape of pop music, in the last 18 months of his rather underground existence in the industry of music radicals with a quavering, raw, emotional, quality that blows the trumpet of his generation’s inquisitive, keen, young minds.
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is identity has become synonymous with visual artist Jesse Kanda’s art works which aid and abet the emotional intensity of his music by providing the unspoken links between the sometimes jarring reformation that Arca’s music has given to electronica. His collaborations with musical maestros like Björk and FKA Twigs have been the highlights of his repertoire, but this is does not in any which way undermine the rising force that Arca is within the bounds of his own art.
Arca, courtesy The Fader magazine.
“W
hat I’m trying to represent is a way of seeing the world – it’s about love, but not romantic love,” says Arca, of his body of work in an interview with Dazed & Confused. “Someone that is standing in a pool of black water is more meaningful to me than someone in a bubble right next to the light. Being knee-deep in sadness or suffering and refusing to look down, to me that represents something more powerful than someone who’s never gone through difficulty. That is something at the heart of the music I make, and that’s what informs me wanting to fuck with people or wanting to make them uncomfortable. If you’re able to find clarity within that, then the art is a lot more powerful than art that spoon-feeds you that feeling.”
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he starkly individualistic changes that Arca is making to the notions of conformity in musical genre’s is hard to miss in the midst of a tsunami of online data, not because of any kind of commercial backing, but solely because of its uniqueness in sound.
“W
e hear changes made to traditional sounds all the time, because the human ear does get tired of listening to the same elements again in different sets or in totally new avatars, so yes, technology has always and will always provide new ways to develop music, and the beginning of that change is seen in the quality of sound produced and the techniques used by Arca.” remarks Bhattacharjee.
Discover Your Voice with
Yolandi Visser
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outh African rave-rapper of Die Antwoord fame alongside long-time partner Ninja, the gangly Yolandi Visser is a visionary that stands true to her roots in a culture so deeply immersed in the political, social and racial dogmas of South Africa that seeing her as an entity separated from her country seems rather impossible. She dictates a kind of pedagogy that goes beyond the realm of realism, in the sense that it is perceived today and translates into something more lucid, and alternative that only parts of the world’s society has experienced first-hand and the rest are yet to see the potential of. Visser embodies a kind of nirvana from the set mould that the human race is programmed to comply with, to emerge with a sense of individuality which is so unique, it is almost purgatory.
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epresenting the micro-cosmic “funk” of downtrodden South Africa, Visser along with Ninja and director Neill Blomkamp made their acting debut in the 2015 film Chappie. The fashion industry has much to imbue from this sartorial genius of sorts in her brandishing six watches instead of the stipulated one, three in each of her arms. Instances of this choice in accessories can be seen in Die Antwoord’s video of their song ‘Baby’s on Fire’. This wholesome embracing of one’s origins can be taken into account as a major step towards protecting the authenticity of a country’s voice .
Yolandi Visser, courtesy Donker Mag.
everyday
geometry Photographed by Sarah Ishtiyaque & Drishti Vij
Art. of
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E. veryday
T.
he
L. iving
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RISE A new fleet of creative millennials led by the likes of Studio XO, Moondail and Intel are defining a dress code for our more technologically equipped counterparts of the future. Text // Graphics // Illustrations Sarah Ishtiyaque
I
s the Gen-Y intelligentsia leading the way for the genetic remodelling of a cathartic humanoid in the foreseeable future? The cause to effect ratio of an idea, in the age of the millennials engenders a society with an increasingly cooptive conscience that allows for the delineation between two schools of learning to become more transparent. The artistic confluence between wearable technology and mainstream fashion is the next tangible step towards bettering a human’s expression of oneself, if one is to keep in stride with the increasingly automated world that we inhabit. “Wearables are just going to be how you live your life. Everything that is a part of your life will have some type of technology that’s talking to some other type of technology that makes your experience better.” says Clare Dawson, VP New Devices Group, GH Hardware at Intel.
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atia Vega, Brazilian beauty technologist, is at the helm of developing beauty products that are controlled by various parts on our body via the incorporation of technology. The plethora of interactive technologies developed by Vega includes Winkymote, a material that mimics skin and sits on the eye muscles enabling the
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elimination of hand-held remotes to various devices by functioning in tandem with simple blinks of the eye to change the channel on a TV or a slide in a PowerPoint presentation. Her other work in a series of commendable feats of cosmetic reallocation includes, Twinkle Nails, which uses sensors and RFID tags on fake nails to produce music with waves of the fingers and Kinisi, her latest undertaking employing the use of light implants on the body strategically controlled by movements of the facial muscles. The want to eliminate the dependence of humans on hardware is fuelled by the construct of the human body and its independent functioning and reactions to external stimuli. Jamer Hunt, Associate Professor of Transdisciplinary Designs at Parsons, says, “So whether our clothing is embedded with those sensors, or whether our skin and our body are embedded with those sensors, those are going to be as integral as the displays that communicate to us the information. So it will really be that combination that will create that kind of wearable experience that will augment our everyday experience.”
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hrough the introduction of wearable technology, designers and scientific researches alike are moving towards
solidarity in thought to replicate a microcosmic existence of our second skins which adapts to the human body and aids it to function in a superior capacity. Dr. Sabine Seymour, founder of Moondial; a design consultant and research firm with offices operating out of New York and Vienna, shares a similar standpoint on technology’s progressive dominance in the realm of fashion, justifying it as a useful extension of the human skin’s properties onto our second skin (i.e. fashion) to facilitate an interactive experience for the consumers of this mammoth and omnipresent industry. This physiological paradigm shift of millproduced fabrics to interactive ‘smart fabrics’ is leading to the rise of a homogenous united front of ‘global citizens’; that have not only made a mark in the various disciplines of academic learning, but are incorporating that learning via inter-disciplinary research to become a unique and a more evolved race.
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ancy Tilbury and Benjamin Males of London based Studio XO, are working on experimenting with the garment as an interactive, spontaneous piece of art that delves into the full spectrum of human emotions with as much bravado as can be expected of seemingly lifeless 3D
Illustration inspired by Walter Pichler
THE of
Superhumans
piece of art that delves into the full spectrum of human emotions with as much bravado as can be expected of seemingly lifeless 3D printed garments. “So our effect is like the oil and water relation as technology and design and fashion don’t really want to go together. This traditional war-down that has always existed between the sciences and the creative industries, is starting to become more transparent. Placing fashion technology in people’s lives is very important for us. It has to fit into the fabric of everyday life and in the theatre of life.” says Males, Technology Director at Studio XO.
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he age of the millennials is going to be followed by the age of the ‘Superhumans’, who will have surpassed the limitations of flesh and blood and bones to a world of genetically augmented prosthetics and enhancers. This world will enable others like a certain colour-blind, Neil Harbisson the “sono-chromatic” cyborg, to develop suitable pieces of wearable technology like one that interprets colours through frequencies transmitted to the brain via a physical interface, that will enable them to overcome their short-comings and emerge better capacitated than humanly thought possible. “I feel that technology can allow us to extend many senses that we are not extending,” muses Harbisson, “and in the case of colour, I can now perceive more than I would have ever perceived without having technology in my body. And this should interest everyone because there’s a lot more to this cover (speaking of the headset attached to his skull).” These advancements
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call to mind a cognitive revelation of an army of like-minded, similarly fashioned insurgency of humans, whose creative interests will, by the undying law of human nature; stand to compete with one another.
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ut does the idea of a global citizen mean the death of cultural diversity? Is this wave of revolution paving the pathway for a drove of disenfranchised youth, with the first myriad batch of superior humans resembling the next batch? How far along do the leaders burgeoning the next generation go before they realise the need for individuality and character need to be incorporated within the fabric of technological progress? Indian visionary fashion designer, Amit Aggarwal’s A/W ’15 lines fuses the concept of recycling involving a sphere of sustainability, with technology involved in the manufacture of fabrics used and the techniques employed to create textures on the fabric. This ideology keeps alive a harmonious balance between the prospect of progress and the retrospective glace into the culture of the country to which he belongs. This synergy that infuses culture into the preamble of technology gives it a soulful touch of humanity. The beauty of technology however, in light of the growing criticism that it has to thwart continually, lies in its characteristic to increase its adaptability to suit its users’ life as opposed to the users making structural changes to accommodate technology into their daily lives, thus making the proposed ‘second skin’ of the novice ‘global citizen’ alterable in accordance with the users’ desired preference .
global citizen
The class of the future embraces the duality of nature’s structure and fluidity by juxtaposing lightness and darkness in their starkest elements.
Photography by Sangya Nagar, Jahnvi Bansal & Drishti Vij Styling by Sarah Ishtiyaque & Drishti Vij Make-up & hair by Jahnvi Bansal Art Direction by Sangya Nagar, Nikita Mahajan, Drishti Vij & Sarah
Ishtiyaque
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on both pages: mesh & neoprene polo Zara
demin dungarees (thrifted) hollow wedge booties Forever 21
destructured trench coat Forever 21 Chinese collar crop shirt Zara distressed denim shorts Forvever 21 stalkings Forever 21 silver & white platforms Steve Madden APRIL/MAY 2015 ALTR 43
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on both pages: destructured trench coat Forever 21 Chinese collar crop shirt Zara distressed denim shorts Forvever 21 stalkings Forever 21 silver & white platforms Steve Madden APRIL/MAY 2015 ALTR 46
on both pages: outerwear Zara DIY acrylic bag (not pictured here)
on both pages: outerwear Zara faux leather mini dress Zara cut-out leather boots Zara industrial helmet used as accessory DIY acrylic bag APRIL/MAY 2015 ALTR 50
on both pages: outerwear Zara faux leather mini dress Zara cut-out leather boots Zara industrial helmet used as accessory DIY acrylic bag
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on both pages: outerwear Zara DIY sunglasses
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graphic crop top Forever 21 quilted skater skirt Forever 21 shield sunglasses (thrifted) DIY PVC shirt
outerwear Zara black cropped pants Marks & Spencer slogan sneakers Zara DIY sunglasses DIY acrylic bag
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collared shirt Marks & Spencer black cropped pants Marks & Spencer metallic belt (thrifted) DIY PVC skirt APRIL/MAY 2015 ALTR 58
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LIFESTYLE
OO U U N N II
U U N N II Text // Visuals Drishti Vij
U N I
S E X
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LiberatingTHE W A R D R O B E A
s a 22-year-old journalism graduate with a funny bone was venturing into starting a blog while meandering in a trial room, she decided on the most unfeminine name, which became a hit with women the world over. The blog was called ‘Man Repeller’. Sought after blogger Leandra Medine with her love for overalls, boyfriend jeans and Harems is now collaborating with the most illustrious global brands on the fashion frontiers. When a girl like Leandra couldn’t care enough to conform to rules of femininity, one wonders if this is an inbred idealism for people living in the 21st century.
M/F and the world When Comme des Garcon opened its first flagship store in Japan, it placed no mirrors in it. The purpose for this was that Rei Kawakubo wanted women to experience how they felt in the clothes rather than how they looked in them. Not dressing up for a
man and rejecting the set ideas of femininity in Comme de Garcon’s frayed and deconstructed clothing presented women in a new solemn light. Rei Kawakubo, along with Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake started somewhat of a revolution by mixing feminine and masculine pieces together and gave a new intellect and direction to fashion. This was back in the 80s and with the new decade a new wave of fashion that is bending gender connotations has started.
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ucci’s newfangled creative director Alessandro Michele has presented men and women alike in strong masculine silhouettes with feminine details. Rad Hourani dispensed a new couture line with models veiling their gender under sci-fi looking masks. Hourani has been documented saying, “ The idea arose from a series of questions: who decided that a man should dress in one way and a woman in another? Who imposed these codes? It doesn’t make sense to me to limit things, which is why I studied male and female bodies to create a canvas that can fit both.
It has always been relevant to for me as it’s about the yin and yang in all of us. I’m not interested in trends, as they fade.” British designer J.W. Anderson’s intercrossing of masculine and feminine style has also made the rounds on several media outlets. While women’s wear has been taking pieces from men’s wear from several decades, it is men’s wear that is transforming on the runways. . “Anytime I do a men’s show, I’m thinking this would be fantastic for women— or at least for me. And more and more, it feels instinctively right to translate the same idea for both genders.” says Miuccia Prada on her Spring/Summer 2015 menswear collection as recorded by Vestoj magazine. Yves Saint Laurent with its Rocker Chic collection and Rick Owens with his slouchy dress for men divulging more than they should had a great fixation in the social media. On the Indian forefront leading magazine like Elle is getting involved in a project called ‘Ungender’ and contemporary designer label Lovebirds came out with a collection called ‘Doubles’ dressing men and women alike.
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Color Neutral and Gender Neutral
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UNI-
“It was a protest by the young to show that the old fashioned ideas of what the male and the female had to represent in the society.”
Not Just of Late But the question remains why are we veering towards this new legion of people who are blurring lines between genders now? Men and women have had significant number of revolutions challenging vacuous social and cultural outlook towards gender. Katherine Hepburn with her roomy trousers and collared shirts became an icon for women for her fearlessness in embracing styles from both menswear and women swear in 1940s. David Bowie, with his alter ego Ziggy Stardust took Centre stage not only just embracing make up and feminine silhouettes but also liberated sexuality for men. Diane Keaton in Annie Hall represented noteworthy style with hats, collared shirts, trousers and oxfords. Denims in the 60s were made popular by likes of Marlon Brando for both men and women. Rudi Gernreich, one of the pioneers of unisex fashion by introducing the single piece Monokini for men and women alike said “ It was a protest by the young to show that the old fashioned ideas of what the male and the female had to represent in the society. They were trying to destroy that and as a result the young men and women are really communicating much better at a human level because they are not just so concerned about what is proper for me to do, what’s not proper.”
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Indigenous and Initial Ruchika Sachdeva of Bodice always embraces a little bit menswear in her own style. With her boxy silhouettes and neutral colors, Ruchika represents this aesthetic well through her style and her designs. On asking Nidhi Jacob, who has worked on the photo series called ‘Ungender’ for Elle Magazine, about this global movement, she acknowledges the universal shift towards this trend and points out the slow emergence of this trend on the Indian frontiers, “There are some young designers labels like Lovebirds who have recently done a collection on unisex clothing. There is in fact a
difference between minimalism and unisex clothing. It has to be functional
for both and suit both kinds of body types. I don’t think India’s the only one that is not progressive enough. It’s a universal problem. It’s an idea that has now come to the forefront. It’ll take time but I think the rest of the world is a little more ahead. I think it’s not a priority for Indian designers right now, to focus on gender-neutral clothes.“ Women have been borrowing from the boys in the past and men would be seen happily embracing pieces or elements that would be deemed as feminine, the question of gravitating towards an aesthetic and not a rebellion towards the gender roles in the society still remains. Susie Bubble in her blog ‘Style Bubble’ rightly points out how unisex clothing is an augmentation of
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monochromatic sportswear and military inspired pieces coupled with trainers and trenches and not so much of a movement towards liberated gender identities. Selfridges with its concept retail space called ‘Agender’ stands true to this observation as the clothing remains oversized, minimal and utilitarian. Nevertheless the movement of unisex clothing has progressed us into accepting the liberated lifestyles that some might choose to live. Jacobs concedes by saying, “Women just borrow from the boys. It’s a societal thing that both men and women can wear trousers. It’s an idea that men
going to appreciate it but the decision of being completely gender fluid is something even I couldn’t do. I appreciate someone who does it. I think why people should embrace genderless clothing is because it’s so practical. Why
have these tags that you can’t wear this because you’re a boy or a girl.”
can’t wear skirts. The Scottish people wear them. It’s a stereotype. Technically,
it shouldn’t be question what you can wear. You can wear anything you want. Anybody can wear a Lehenga and walk around if they want to. Like if someone wants to be a maximalist person, they can be. Brands do not need to change too much. There are just some nips and tucks required to fit them both because men tend to be narrower on the hips and women are wider on the hips. Those small adjustments, like if its baggy on the hips it can suit both the sexes. If someone wants to wear androgynous clothing, they should be able to wear it and if someone wants to wear women’s clothing they can. You can’t define it. It’s a personal choice. If tomorrow something exists on the rack and it fits you and you’re a boy or a girl it doesn’t matter. It’s not the designer’s onus. It’s your personal responsibility to dress freely. It is a long way off for advertisers or for the retail space. At this point if we put up something like our exhibition, people are
“It’s a Stereotype. Technically, it shouldn’t be a question what you can wear.”
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ender has always played a pivotal role into demarcating the society from time long past. Men and women being two opposite poles for it have been prescribed roles and how to dress, feel, and behave are a part of it. But with every decade we make succession of proscribing to what we are brainwashed to look and feel. Blue for boys and pink for girls is no longer the protocol to be followed. Women have been wearing pants for too long and men are embracing trends that defy farce rules of traditional masculinity. But even in 21st century to call ourselves a society where we can freely pick clothes regardless of what gender we are born to is slightly far off. Nidhi Jacob foresees the farsightedness of unisex fashion as a mainstream movement yet encourages embracing it judgment-free, “If an advertising person has to push it right now, it has to be a superficial idea. Even what we were trying to do, they’re pretty pictures trying to evoke something. But as a personal choice if you had to do it, that is really far away. So from an advertising point of view if you’re trying to do something, it’s interesting as an idea. You think about it. You may not actually put in into process but you don’t have to put it into process. That’s not the point. I don’t think in a general point of view people want to change. You shouldn’t judge somebody who wants to change. “
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Photographed by Sangya
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Nagar
up close with vidhu vinod chopra Text // Nikita Mahajan
What could be next for a producer who has procured it all in Bollywood? For, Vidhu Vinod Chopra the answer was explicit, he threw a provocation at himself; his motivation being that, Hollywood looks down upon our cinema, our culture and perceives that Indian culture only indulges in extravagant things. He embraced the challenge to go there and show them that we too can do what they do and do it as good if not better. He preceded and took upon his challenge, that wasn’t only successful but it also elevated brilliant filmmakers in Hollywood, and fulfilled a promise, which he had made to his 26year old self, that he too would “get there”. Talking about his new film Broken Horses and the marking of his Hollywood debut not only as a producer but also a director and writer, the Bollywood veteran, addressed the youth of New-Delhi at HansRaj College . “One of the first people to see the film was James Cameron, who started clapping as the film ended and said ‘Vinod you did it. Do you know how hard it is to come out of your comfort zone and make such a film’”? Chopra fondly recalled the ecstatic compliment from one of the greatest living filmmakers of the world. He emphasized on the future and how essential it is for the youth to chase their dreams and follow their hearts to achieve the success they all deserve. He adds “ For me, chasing a dream had to do with retaining one’s innocence. I feel like a kid. When we are young we have dreams. As we grow our souls become corrupt. The trick is to keep the child in you alive always.”
He feels the future of India and the youth of India needs to be more efficient, and that is the one thing in which our film industry lacks. We might be warm and lively people, but that isn’t enough, we definitely need to be more efficient. While making Broken Horses he decided to take India with him and used it with the efficiency America provided him.
“ For me, chasing a dream had to do with retaining one’s innocence. I feel like a kid. When we are young we have dreams. As we grow our souls become corrupt. The trick is to keep the child in you alive always.”
In addition to this, another great outcome of Mr. Chopra’s talk was that it was extremely motivating as well as immensely captivating. Mr. Chopra constantly spoke about the future of the Bollywood industry, and how technological advancements within the industry would allow them to compete with international filmmakers and actors. He feels Bollywood has come along way, however there are still many things we need to learn and adopt in our industry. The reason he chose interact with the students, who encompass the millenial generation, as he felt this generation connects with the purpose of exploration and evolvement in technology as we were the first generation to use technology in our day-to-day lives and it is the people of this generation who have excelled in the fields of technological science. He further stressed that this generation would be the one, which has the potential to change the stereotypical mindset that Hollywood has of Bollywood, which is making only ‘spicy’ and ‘mind numbing’ movies, The only mechanism, which can allow us to change this attitude, is by adopting the newest and most promising technology. He feels future and upcoming Bollywoord filmmakers should adopt CGI more frequently in their respective movies, that will y open a new genre of films which will not only allow to compete with our Western neighbors but also give them a run for their money!
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Digital EMPOWERMENT (Greater than)
POWER CUTS
In a country where power cuts and electricity are one of the biggest issues, can digital be the new face of Progressive India?
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he help at my house talks about social media with the same enthusiasm as she does about her signature Tibetan delicacy or the amount of dowry paid at her sister’s wedding. To say that she is in loop of workings of her wireless digital phone would not be wrong. She is agog to see YouTube videos and her inquisitive nature about this unseen world injects me with an unanticipated excitement as well. The cellular phone has become your extended arm. You tap on it incessantly just as much as the next person, no matter if you’re in a metro or in a building with shiny glass doors. But is the progress towards digital literacy in a country with deep lifestyle contrasts and steep social differences the next viable step for empowering the nation? Is this going to bind us as a community with a progressive viewpoint or are we not ready yet? A fourth of the population in India still remains illiterate. Children drop out of schools to do drudgery that pays menially. The ‘National Digital Literacy Mission’ promises to change this situation by
EMPOWERMENT
providing IT literacy in India so that trainees are well equipped to access information on internet and be in knowledge of various e-Governance services. This policy aims to target 10 lakh people under the guidelines of the Prime Minister. This digital mission has the vision of eliminating the divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. While the Internet is readily available for information to all without discrimination, the information on it still remains non- referred and potentially unauthentic. Debjani Ghosh from Intel, which is an Industry Partner for NDLM, says, “The need for digital literacy in a country as populous and diverse as India is critical. With a constant tug-of-war between resources and requirements, technology is the only way to scale up solutions and bridge the gaps between them.” Furthermore Debjani thinks that progress can be achieved by targeting affordability, accessibility, applicability and awareness building for the Internet. The trainees will go through a face-to-face contact session, a workshop and will be provided with a supplementary activity book to work on. But as we are working towards the literacy in several in rural areas, we cannot be working with non-operational
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government websites that are already in the picture for several educational institutions.
DIGITAL
The project aims to provide thrust to nine pillars identified as growth areas. These include broadband highways, everywhere mobile connectivity, Public Internet Access programme, e-governance, Ekranti (which aims to give electronic delivery of services), and information for all, electronics manufacturing, IT for jobs and early harvest programmes. Better graphics, locally relevant and developing content with appropriate level of readability need to come into picture. Priyanka Jodhani, who has worked with several NGOs like MAD (Make a Difference), Aneka (Working for Sex workers and Trans genders) and further plans to work with Swasti says, “India as a country is not ready for this digital shift because the infrastructure requirement for the same is not enough. Especially if we look at digital education, it would certainly involve getting the people computer, Internet and most importantly electricity which I think is a big issue in most of the rural areas. Regarding opening new opportunities, it would certainly do provided we can get conducive requirement for the same.”
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nd while such vast social and cultural differences are there in the urban and rural areas, Priyanka reflects on the apprehensions one might think would be inbred in several against technology because of a different setting they’re living in, ” Working with underprivileged kids education sector, I’ve realised that almost everyone want to get their kids educated but its not for the reason of expanding their horizon but its about employability and job readiness because they have been through a certain kind of lifestyle and they would certainly want better for their kids. People as such are not apprehensive about imparting literacy and technological education but even if they do, the whole stigma attached towards marginalized or underprivileged people, its there to stay for long because the structural change is not yet there and I don’t know how imparting literacy to underprivileged kids would in dealing with this situation. It’s more about educating the society also.”
And as one one hopes for a digital revolution, several times we have witnessed failed government reforms, Priyanka elaborates on what the hindrances might be, “NDLM is not a far-fetched dream because most of the population in India resides in the rural parts and we know that in case you want to progress in life you do need literacy if not education and a bit of computer knowledge. I think the problem with electricity might be a major hindrance towards the implementation. Secondly, the infrastructure of transportation required is not very well built, a lot of these people or the so called trainers who’re going to implement NDLM in the rural parts, they might not want to do it whole heartedly because of the difference you find in urban and rural setting. Before imparting literacy, it’s very important that we work on the infrastructural settings.”
Text // Visuals Drishti Vij
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n as intimate a perusal as the human body, its treatment by one’s own self and its quantifiable critiquing by others, become the governing onus of a socially progressive polity. Like the allegorical treatment of an extravagant Philip Treacy hat or a hauntingly immersive Shyam Benegal film, body politic in the ‘mobile’ generation is in more ways than one a radical digression of human limitations from their ardent moulds into a self-generating, organic flow of thoughts and emotions onto a blank canvas of polyphony.
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ashion’s fortuitous obsession with the unseen, has led to a revolution of sorts with the homecoming of polyphonic identities and voices emblazoning the runway with ethnic, bodyscape, cultural and gender diversity. This agitated and rampant upheaval of elitist dogma, punctuated by a pedantic nod towards secularism is an emphatic victory for the rather elusive sphere that we ubiquitously call ‘fashion’. The runway is being viewed as a multi-verse with a rapidly declining hegemonic hold on the bourgeoisie translating into a call for the margins
to take up arms; cashmere, perhaps? Alexander McQueen’s editorial direction for Dazed & Confused saw a flurry of models with physical disabilities grace Dazed’s digital and print media in a vehement disregard of social convention.
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ashion-Able was inspired by Lee’s SS99 show ‘No.13’, which addressed his belief that beauty can be found in extreme difference and individuality. Each of the real models that we cast in the shoot had a different physical disability and I know that it was very important to him that they felt at ease and could trust our vision, knowing that we all wanted to achieve something artistic and beautiful. He had asked some of his most respected cotemporaries, such as Hussein Chalayan, Rei Kawakubo and milliner Philip Treacy to customcreate pieces for each subject.” says stylist Katy England about Fashion-Able in an interview with Dazed & Confused. The ramp as a repository for the marginalised, has garnered attention with transgender model Andreja Pejic,
becoming a household name at Jean Paul Gaultier, Chantelle Brown born with vitiligo leading campaigns for Formichetti’s Diesel, actress Jamie Brewer strutting down the runway at Carrie Hammer‘s show during New York Fashion Week, making her the first woman with Down Syndrome to walk the runway.
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he fashion industry at large and the ramp, its Holy Grail, are slowly championing a foray into becoming an enabling platform that dissolves rigidities and barriers to become a nurturing space for infinite possibilities. The runway is far removed from the sphere of ordinary wherein it has embraced with open arms the face of a new generation. Fashion is no longer viewed in light of the idle-tower phenomenon that it was earlier profiled under, and has outfitted with bravado the symbolism associated with different bodies. When disability, sexuality, gender and race become empowering facets, amidst the shockwave of varying cultural connotations associated with them, it sheds a positive light on the embodiment of a more diverse fashion sphere than the world has ever seen .
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Are you on
facebook?
Though the growth rate of social network users may be slowing globally, there is no stopping in India, as the number of social media users in urban India is projected to cross a whopping 80 million this year from 63 million years ago. India has the second largest number of users on facebook.
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f(I)bbing As Facebook becomes a paid medium of marketing, who gets a bigger say in Fashion?
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hen Zuckerberg started Facebook, as seen by all in the famous David Fincher movie, it was meant to connect people. In no time Facebook changed the ways of social networking and several people saw opportunities in the potential of this website. From what your friend would be eating for dinner to the new shopping websites she would be following, from bloggers who were becoming sensations to the selfacclaimed critics, Facebook started having a huge impact on people’s lives right from its inception. Hash tags would dictate what’s on people’s minds and for those who found it difficult to survive in the real world, social media would be a great recluse. You would look at trending stories and it helped in getting the word out when needed. In a nutshell, Facebook changed lives. What really made it stick was the power it gave to an ordinary man. You would have a say in something, as would anyone else. Not just the ones in position of power. It instilled in democracy. Like everything, Fashion is tremendously transformed with the digital revolution. The rise of the fashion bloggers is also majorly credited to this social medium. When
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MacBarbie07 aka Bethany Mota was named as one of the ’25 most influential teens’ by Time Magazine it was heartwarming to see how Vlogging acted as therapy from the bullying she went through in school. And while she garnered tremendous support by so many Youtube followers through her ‘Haul’ videos, Facebook only accelerated this process by promoting her page. But as new start-ups and writers were using Facebook to build a community that helped them have a better say and graduates not finding jobs were starting independent blogs and pages, several marketers felt it stupid to be losing out on this opportunity. And in no time Facebook changed its priority from connecting people to using their database to mint money. A new start up would not be getting attention by its readers if they won’t pay. The democracy instilled by Facebook was fading away. But as content still remains king, there are many who do not let this change affect the ways of their creative processes. hea Gupte is a graduate from Nift who started off with her blog called ‘Fuss (Fashion Unzipped Street Style) and now is one of the top fashion bloggers
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“That’s what social media has done — it’s opened it all up. And it has enabled an outsider to become an insider” in India. On asking her she talks about the vitality of Facebook’s roles in building her blog but disdains it as the sole purveyor of its success, “It has helped build and grow FUSS as the brand away from the website and also to keep followers updated on the new posts on the website. Apart from that, I never look at statistics and traffic, creating content is my main focus. All social platforms are equally important to me in keeping the followers on those respective platforms updated on what is happening on www.fuss.co.in. Redirections happen from every platform. All the activities on the FUSS Facebook page are still organic. I have never promoted or advertised on any social platform. Beyond that the decisions Facebook makes of whether to show content to all followers or not, are their business decisions. According to me, people who genuinely like FUSS will visit the site/Facebook page every once in a while to check on what is new, irrespective of whether it shows up on their timeline or not.”
reading for its freshness and originality has lost its inventiveness. The bloggers you were once following to find that connect are only promoting the content they are paid to be promoting. But as good and bad remain in the world, the same applies true for writers in the digital world. But Rhea remains hopeful and better yet thinks you need to be a better curator, “ It depends on which platforms one follows and the kind of content each person likes. It is a matter of taste. My feed is always filled with immensely inspiring content and thus the content creators I follow, big or small, are definitely doing a fantastic job.”
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ut as Facebook kills its organic reach, Readers and content creators are not the only ones being affected. Mark Schfaeler on socialmediaexaminer. com writes, “The drop in organic reach has been apocalyptic for many businesses. Why? There’s too much content on Facebook and the company is forced to ratchet down the reach. We’ll have to either spend a lot more
And while so many people, tired after a long day at work are trying to curate their reading list online come across the same news about the same celebrity again and again, one wonders if the content you were
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“The drop in organic reach has been apocalyptic for many businesses. Why? There’s too
much content
on Facebook and the company is forced to ratchet down the reach.”
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money on Hollywood-quality content, a lot more money on advertising or both. This will force some businesses to reconsider Facebook as a viable channel and enable a migration to less noisy venues.” But the idea of social media not having any effect at all is imprudent. Imran Amed of ‘Business of Fashion’ reiterates this fact by telling Richard Godwin, “ We’ve sometimes run into challenges for saying exactly what we think on The Business of Fashion. We’re not sensationalists, but we would like to be able to spark an intelligent discussion. That’s what social media has done — it’s opened it all up. And it has enabled an outsider to become an insider.”
Rhea, with her impelling work at Fuss emphasizes the very fact that in the end, the choice of the reader cannot be overpowered by imprudent and heavy handed advertising of any kinds. She concludes in her insightful conversation, “I don’t think Facebook being paid has anything to do with the dissolution of the democratic say in fashion. There are a lot many other platforms that are dedicated to fashion in ways Facebook can never be. It is a matter of choice. I always have an ad blocker on and thus do not come across any ads on Facebook or otherwise. The content I wish to look at is purely chosen by me and I feel people should do the same if they are picky about what shows up on their timelines.”
And while several continue to buy their reach, accumulation of support still weighs heavier on the side of true democracy.
Text // Visuals Drishti Vij
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Should the Internet be altered ?
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et neutrality, has been a major concern all across the globe, the principle of data equality, which has been a concern over the years, ensures the Internet to remain a level playing ground. Over the years, this term has found its way to become one of the most talked about topics in the Indian political landscape. Unfortunately, India has no laws on governing net neutrality, which makes it easy for ISP’S such as Airtel and Tata Docomo to charge higher prices for different customers. The stance, which the government has taken, seems to be a weak one on this issue. The only way India can reach the pinnacle of development is by providing basic access and connectivity to the citizens across the country. Due to the lacklustre approach of the government , corporate honchos are exploiting this unregulated sector and extracting astronomically high profits by charging people different rates
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across the country. The internet should be a public good a platform, which is nonrival and non-exclusive and that all the data on the internet should be treated and priced equally. Mark Zuckerberg, Founder of Facebook shared his viewpoint recently, in a highly publicised manner on Facebook. Zuckerberg spoke about the importance of Net Neutrality in India, and the fact that since India is home to 1.2 billion people, easy, efficient and free access to connectivity will make India one of the most technologically advanced societal cultures in the world. Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party’s heir gave a notice to the Lok Sabha as to hold a debate on net neutrality and shared his opinion on the issue in an interview with Quartz, “We want a law on net neutrality. One million people have voiced their opinion,” he said. “TRAI should stop the consultation process and change the policy. In addition to this, Amev Burman, Web Devloper says “ being a part of generation, which has grown up with the internet and seen how it has revolutionised the world and people around me. Web pages, such as facebook, yahoo, limewire have become an integral part of digital and social life. And for me to start paying for access to these websites to corporate executives seems extremely unethical. “ We all can truthfully acknowledge that, this is not a topic or one, which will drive media attention for weeks on end. However, this is a conversation we must and are required to have with our political representatives. Living in such a dynamic and changing world, will pose numerous challenges for us as a society, to simplify this process we would require quick, easy to access and cheap Internet.
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The government is trying to the corporates.� In addition to this, we should look at model countries such as South Korea, which provides the highest amount of net neutrality for its citizens and hence will be the first country ever to come up with 5G Internet speed. From the above statement, we can clearly see a positive correlation between development and high levels of connectivity. What is the most dissapointing is the fact that our government has no laws governing net neutrality. The first conversation we need to have is with the government protecting our individual freedom of surfing the net, regardless of our income constraints, geographic region or usage rate. The Internet is a great tool, and if used for the right purposes can drastically increase societal value. The internet allows us all to have a common voice, to speak up against those who are much more powerful than the ‘common man/woman’ , the corporations. It does something, which the human race has always strived for and hence it levels the playing ground. Hence, hindering net neutrality takes away power from the simple and ordinary and gives it to the powerful. Text // Nikita Mahajan
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TECHNOLOGY
Interview taken by Sarah Ishtiyaque Illustrations by Drishti Vij & Sarah Ishtiyaque
1. The advancement towards becoming ‘Superhumans’, with aided help from technology (through prosthesis/ the idea of cyborgs) making physical disability a combatable entity, is now possible. What is your take on the evolution of humans in this progressive technological light?
humans need to become more empathetic before we can reap the real benefits of technology.
A. The idea of ‘Superhumans’ is definitely appealing. We can see various examples today of how technological advancement is improving the quality of human life, with biomedical aids, daily health monitoring devices to advanced communication devices like the ‘Apple Watch’ (which is poised to replace cell phones in the future) to hi-tech wearable (Google Glass and lenses) which can keep us on the grid at all times. However for a real evolution of humans it would take more than just technology to make us better and stronger. Social evolution is in some ways vital and more important for technology to touch every life effectively, which means we must work harder to end poverty and the misbalance created due to huge income inequality. A bad social economic system will only lead us to a dystopian future akin to the one shown in Neill Blomkamp’s science fiction thriller, ‘Elysium’. I personally think
A. Yes but on a grand scale yet. With advancements in nanobiotechnology, biotech as a school of learning will see a broader impact on wearable devices. There are really interesting things happening with biotech companies investing in wearable technology for health care, especially to tap into areas where there are few to no doctors available to the population. Biotechnology will impact health care in a big way with home health monitoring devices to do-ityourself diagnostics. With advancements in Artificial Intelligence added to the picture, doctors won’t be needed in the future; only very highly trained specialists (that can compete with supercomputers).
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2. Is biotechnology as a school of learning, contributing to wearable technology in any which way?
3. Technology is the alchemist bringing together various disciples of learning like biology, fashion, music and art together in one unified platform in different permutations and combinations. Do you think we are looking at a world completely reliant on technology in the foreseeable future? A. I would like to quote Leonardo da Vinci here: “Principles for the Development of a Complete Mind: Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses- especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.� That said, we are already living in a world completely reliant on technology ever since the discovery of fire and have made advancements since then. However this century will see rapid developments and advancements in technology that will completely blow our minds and whether people like it or not, will have to learn to adapt to it.
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4. There are various concerns regarding the use of technology viscerally (for e.g. via a pill), that involves the internal body to react with technology, as opposed to the more popular prosthetic approach that engages with the physical body. What is your take on this matter? A. This is more of a bioethical issue for inventors and manufacturers of such technology. They must be very careful to release any technology that interacts with the human body at a molecular level, much like pharmaceutical drugs. Like them, nanobot pills will need monitoring and a lot of policing, however owing to the nature of their capabilities, they will also be more dangerous if things go wrong. I suppose the goal that’s being pursued with the help of such pills is important too. Depends whether one to trying to destroy cancer or the human’s internal organs, it must be severely and critically monitored. 5. Do you think technology can be infused with the garment industry to create wearable technology keeping sustainability in mind? A. Absolutely! Plastic and metallic devices are adding to a lot
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of
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destroying
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6. How big a role does design play in the creation of a piece of wearable technology? Does one industry trump another or are the responsibilities the same on both the industries when such a merger is taken into consideration? A. If one takes the example of Apple devices then it’s all about design. In other cases too, design thinking is extremely important. If you’re starting a company with a bunch of friends, make sure one of them is a designer (and at least two engineers!) Mergers of corporations are rare. Most big companies have their own unique design team. Some contract their work to other design companies but it always pays to have one’s own designers who understand the product better than an external designer. This is the trend in the US. In India, I suppose design companies exist independently and work on contracts 7. The purpose of wearable technology is to solve an existing problem/ create a more comfortable experience for the user, while dealing with the physical world around him/ her. How interactive do you think will these
experiences get in lieu of man’s increasing dependence on technology in all frontiers? A. Right now the conundrum is how to make various devices communicate with each other and share data and how to analyze the metadata in a meaningful way such that the user experience is flawless and beneficial. With further development in computer engineering (which is happening really fast) this will become easier. I guess we can expect to see wondrous things. 8. Given the advent of global fashion towards technology and it’s showcasing in major platforms like SXSW in Austin, when do you see designers and scientists joining hands in India to work on wearable technology? A. Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. TED events. Many such similar conferences happen around the world. .
9. What can Indian do better to showcase their on the global stage in terms expression of design as a
designers creativity of visual medium?
India should play to its strengths. Cheap manufacturing, A.
traditional designs and comfortable fabrics are some of the things India excels in. Indian graffiti copied by European designers is no good. India should embrace more of its culture rather than aping America. It’s good to learn from different parts of the world and make things better for Indian design, but keep the Indian influence alive. Also more Indians should join forces and be more inclusive rather than competitive in an unhealthy manner or corrupt in the way they do business. There are innovative ideas in all parts of India. Larger
corporations or companies and wellestablished designers should allow them to flourish and nurture them to reach greater heights. It’s only going to benefit the industry as a whole. No set-backs there.
Indian graffiti copied by European designers is no good. India should embrace more of its culture rather than aping America.
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10.
Could you please profile your job for us?
A.
I am working towards developing biotechnological applications and solutions in space exploration. Currently I’m pursuing a PhD at Washington State University. I am also an instructor of Geology at the University and a budding entrepreneur.
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NANOTECH Photographed by Sarah Ishtiyaque & Sangya Nagar Hair & Make Up by Drishti Vij & Sangya Nagar
Styled by Drishti Vij, Sarah Ishtiyaque, Nikita Mahajan & Sangya Nagar Art Direction by Nikita Mahajan, Sangya Nagar, Drishti Vij & Sarah Ishitiyaque
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Nanotechnology is the engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale.
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the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atom. RICHARD FEYNMAN NOBLE PRIZE WINNER
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Synergy between Nanotech and natural fibers are potent to solve many problems arising in the 21st century. APRIL/MAY 2015 ALTR 107
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[
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES Crop top and skater skirt DIY NOSE PIN Prototype merging Nanobot Tech with design exploring the possibilities of alternative textiles
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THE Text // Visuals Sangya Nagar
TECHNOSENSUAL ERA OF FASHION
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The future of fashion is code, not couture
Says designer Francis Bitonti, who collaborated with costume designer Michael Schmidt to create a Swarovski-crystal-encrusted, 3D-printed gown, worn by American burlesque icon Dita von Teese and showed the world what he meant. 3D printing technology has been seen around 1980’s but 3D printers for commercial purpose were available in 2010 and by 2012 this technology was globally acknowledged. For decades architects and scientists have been using 3D printers to create models, from printed 3D buildings to 3D printed hearing aids. Today, fashion is no exception, designers are now incorporating these 3D printing techniques in their designs. Today, not only fashion designers but also other companies related to this industry are making products from 3D printers such as Hot Pop Factory a Canadian company is printing jewellery, London based designer Ron Arad created a range of 3D printed sunglasses. But what’s a 3D printed necklace without a shirt or dress to match? 3D Printing and Fashion just recently met a couple of years ago, but their friendship is off to a promising start. 3D printing has taken the world of digitisation into another territory of technosensual design where the technology allows digital plans to become a reality by sintering different e-textiles. Iris Van Herpen is one of the first fashion designers to investigate the potential of 3D printing to create clothes and accessories. Her 2010 Crystallisation collection featured dramatic printed items resembling body armour. She also ponders how 3D scanners could revolutionise the way we order our clothes in the future. “Everybody could have their own body scanned and just order clothes that fit perfectly.”
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Crystallization by Iris Van Herpen, Photographed by Nick Knight
“I find the process of 3D printing fascinating because I believe it will only be a matter of time before we see the clothing we wear today produced by this technology. Because it’s such a different way of manufacturing, adding layer-by-layer, it will be a great source of inspiration.” - Iris Van Herpen
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“3D printing is like one day we will wear the surface of a computer on our bodies.” -Nancy Tilbury,Creative Director, STUDIO XO
Printed garments have become a common sight on the Haute Couture catwalks of designers like van Herpen. She explains: “I find the process of 3D printing fascinating because I believe it will only be a matter of time before we see the clothing we wear today produced by this technology. Because it’s such a different way of manufacturing, adding layer-bylayer, it will be a great source of inspiration.” Iris collaborated with Australian architect Julia Körner, is now working on transferring the technology used to create the elaborate garments into everyday clothing production as part of what she calls an “exciting moment in fashion design”. The designer adds to this “I always collaborate with architects or someone that specialises in 3D modelling because I don’t specialise in it myself,” she says. “I know a little bit, but not as much as the people I work with.” 3D printing is not the only helping digital technology to create and manufacture a design without any help of hand drawn sketches or needles and threads, there are other software technologies like vendor Optitex for
2D pattern making and 3D virtual prototyping, to create fashion garment and accessory samples. Brands like Paul Smith, Victoria’s Secret and coach use this software. Optitex marketing manager Dana ArochSoffer says “3D virtual products were the largest factor for shortening time to market in industries such as automotive and industrial design. However, these technologies are being recognised by the fashion industry”. He says ,“Virtual samples can be created in one to three days, instead of the typical
waiting for three to four weeks for the first physical sample, plus they come with the real look and feel of the garment’s cloth.” Nancy Tilbury, creative director at fashion and technology company Studio XO says “3D printing is like one day we will wear the surface of a computer on our bodies”. The concept behind Studio XO is to brings together fashion designers, engineers, material experts, and product designers in a unified way, relying on the ideas, perspectives, and expertise of each sector to fuel and balance out the other. Tilbury says “Our team has shaped a united design vocabulary, this enables us to better understand how to manipulate design tools in both the digital and physical realms. The team at Studio XO crafted tailored technology for the dress.” India is relatively new to the concept of 3D printers, not many people know about this technology yet. Indian market is very sensitive towards the prices of 3D printing technology that is why its market is still on evolving stage and yet to witness major transformation such as compatibility for mass production, easier designs capabilities, and manufacturing of large format objects in future.
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RETROSPECT
WORLD OF WEARABLE ART Wearibility has no stigma
Text // Nikita Mahajan
World of Wearable Art is a contemporary art form, and a glimpse of its world is a seduction into a world of heart-stopping beauty and mind-numbing creativity. With setting sky as the limit Jaswant Daranga, participated in the World Of Wearable Art Competition in 2012 and gained victory by creating a garment inspired by the luxury of game of cards. He shares his journey through the competition and comments on the future of design and the role of technology in fashion.
The Common Threads World Of Wearable Art Showcase,New Zealand
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Visualcelebration celebrationofofthe theartistry artistryand andquality qualitysetting settingatatWorld WorldofofWearable WearableArt. Art. Visual
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hat we wear and how we wear it plays an important role in proposing who we are. Since the beginning of human history, what we put on our bodies has composed a pivotal pier of cultural tradition, either through dressing or painting them as an expression of identity. Currently the global fashion industry dominates our fixation with covering the body and exhilarates conformity as well as a preoccupation with branding. For the majority, what we wear must fit with what could be termed as “fashionable” but at the same time should be safe, comfortable, flattering and many a times not too outrageous as well. “The amusement and efficiency of Wearable Art is that it empowers designers to see the body as a bare canvas and develop an idea on it which appeals to them. The more provocative, unorthodox and original, the better it is. The garment must be wearable, they don’t need to be commercially viable neither do they need to take themselves seriously. Creators could use any form of medium to realize their vision be it, painting, sculpture, textiles, costuming, engineering and electronics, using either glass beads or human hair or utensils. u.or sumptuous silks,” told Suzie Moncrieff, Creator and Founder, WOW to techlink.
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WOW is a contemporary art, which is both comprehensive as well as attainable. Having designers from all walks of life and contrasting groundings. The process of creating a WearableArt garment need not be an exorbitant procedure; it is a process to embolden lateral and authentic thinking. It is about inventing a garment with recycled materials or creating materials from scratch. While some choose to draw on organic techniques, most favour from technical exploration of the materials to which the audience gasps in awe at the most philosophical, beautiful and sublime art forms created by reinterpreting familiar and vacant materials. India too has tremendously contributed with progressively innovative and fascinating design entry each year in this competitive and firm competition. Among other young designers who participate each year are Jaswant Daranga and Neil Sarjal who took their dream forward of creating something unique in the world of fashion and procured triumph, as they secured the second position in WOW Factor Award at World of Wearable Art Show held in New Zealand in 2012. Daranga says, he has always been passionate towards designing, be it observing new trends and clothes or being inclined
towards art and painting. However coming from a conventional household, he had never even thought of pursuing fashion in his wildest of dreams. Until one night in the midst of his engineering career, while watching an hour of Gianni Versace’s biography made him want to switch his career to that of designing and it is then he decided to join National Institute Of Fashion Design (NIFT), New Delhi. For the period he spent at NIFT, is when his concrete passion for design commenced, in the act of which he was taught and made to think of design in every aspect and form. It is NIFT, which gave direction to all his curiosity. He adds “ It was in my first year of college, when the idea of participating in WOW motivated and thrilled me. I had heard about the level of excellence required to be a WOW finalist. After winning the competition it truly felt like a deam come true.” “The freedom WOW provides the contestants is what kept me going. It was like I had a chance to work on a garment where there was no restriction, my imagination could run as far as possible and I got an opportunity to make as unique a garment as I want. I was aware of the difficulties which I would have to face in terms of designing, conceptualizing and making of the garment that would be unique. But I was ready to face the difficulties as my passion pushed me forward.
I felt fortuitous to participate and do something distinct in the industry where there are only a few who do this variety of endeavor,” says Daranga.
“ The Glamour Card” inspired by the grandiosity and luxury of the game of cards, the unpredictability with every toss of sides and the addictive flavour of luck, which if personified would walk in nothing less than glamorous rich silhouettes and fabric”.
The garment which Daranga won for was “ The Glamour Card” inspired by the grandiosity and luxury of the game of cards, the unpredictability with every toss of sides and the addictive flavor of luck, which if personified would walk in nothing less than glamorous rich silhouettes and fabric”. The primary concept was to transform the game of the card into a wearable garment, the luck, curiosity and the loss it carries within itself. The sense of having a garment of game of cards is what made it innovative along with the fabrics and materials that were incorporated to produce the garment such as sequin and lurex which were the main fabrics along with foam and boning that were used to give the desired shape. He adds, “It was a very eventful journey which helped me learn a lot about the field of design. There is so much talent and passion in people to produce things which are completely out of the box. I learnt a-lot about different cultures and how different people from all parts of the world come together with a passion for this field. Even though it was a competiton, it felt more like gaining experience. It was a once in a life - time experience which I will cherish forevever.
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aranga wanted to do something unique and create his own niche and style of work and this is what kept him motivated. He was aware of the fact that it only when one does unique work, is he appreciated in such an industry. The urge of being innovative is what kept him charged along with the effort and energy he put in, this kept him motivated. It was a task to manage attendance, submissions and garment simultaneously but his gut to do something different and innovative is what motivated him. But his will and desire to excel in this field didn’t end with the competition. “I am inclined towards working with similar garments, which are made of different materials and innovative fabrics.” “In the future too I would want to concentrate on using a similar approach, but would definitely want to incorporate wearable technology into my garments, as that does seem like a big trend,” he says. In Daranga’s opinion the future of India in terms of design is tremendous as the promising generation is aware of all kinds of designs and trends, not only is there a value for innovation but also unique ideas and the eagerness to experiment. The younger generation is more daring and accepting to incorporate changes and this will help India.
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World Wearable Competition, New Zealand World of of Wearable ArtArt Competition, New Zealand.
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The government and industries too are making endeavors and initiatives in relation to the design domain whereas designers are getting more aware and responsible not only in the field of fashion but also in interior and architecture among others.
“ I would say technology is the back bone of the fashion industry.” Technology has helped fashion in a tremendous manner, . Technology has helped designers, clothing companies to innovate, experiment and expand, and what technology could do to the future of design is probably something we can’t even imagine. “
He also adds, “ For the present and the future, Indian designers should focus on Indian heritage which is rich in culture and ethos and concentrate on more traditional techniques like dying with natural materials and adapt nature friendly and sustainable techniques. With ecological issues such as Global Warming Indian designers should definitely explore natural options such that their uniqueness prevails globally. In today’s digital age it’s easy to expose your designs and work to the world, and the world will definitely look at India with a different perspective.” On a global level, he feels, “the clothes will not only be restricted for lifestyle purposes, they will undeniably have built-in wearable technology, properties such as temperature control, which in fact exists formerly in some of the clothing lines is set to be a big trend. Designers are innovators and these innovations would be the future of fashion globally.”
“Avant-Garde is the initial level of experimentation in fashion, which creates options for new techniques and materials and hence possibilities for advancement. According to me, futuristic fashion is all about saving resources, time, water, energy, it is about conservation along with making clothes experimental and utilitarian which would make us dependent on them. What the face of fahsion could be in the future is slowly getting incorporated gloablly and India too should be more experimental with such styles,” says Daranga. Commenting on the role of technology in fashion, he says, “ I would say technology is the back bone of the fashion industry.” Technology has helped fashion in a tremendous manner, we find the best products and apparels through technology, the best pattern making software’s which exist in the fashion industry are due to the software’s provided by technology. We can nowadays produce garments and apparels easily and faster, because of technology. Technology has helped designers, clothing companies to innovate, experiment and expand, and what technology could do to the future of design is probably something we can’t even imagine. “
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A.Vision.For Your.Future Text // Graphic Art Sangya Nagar
Fashion designers are constantly creating big thing in the fashion industry with every changing season, but what about fashion for the foreseeable future? Well that’s on it way too! Designers are far-sighted; they can see the anticipated future, what could be the fashion trends down the line fifty years. Not only the designers who have been into this industry for quite a few years but also the young designers are experimenting more with the notion of future, be it a style or fabric, the current fashion technology discussions involves the idea of wearable tech. Designers are working on innovative ideas in terms of fabric technology; from futuristic Swiss fabrics that don’t require cleaning, to fabrics that give sensory feedback, to rapid prototyping and 3-D printing being applied to fashion design as well as approaches that will change the way we dress ourselves.
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Exploring more with shapes and pushing them as far as they would go keeping the crux of clothes and going beyond, JUNYA WATANABE in his spring/ summer 2015 collection played with the circular and square formed tabard , exaggerated and transparent faux hair visor completed and PVC silhouettes
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A pioneer of 3D printing, IRIS VAN HERPEN combination of traditional craftsmanship with innovative techniques creating an intricate sculptural designs with stunning organic and futuristic visual impact., seen in the Skeleton dress, designed in collaboration with Belgiumbased artist Isaie Bloch.
Iris Van Herpen’s skeleton dress designed for her fall winter 2011 APRIL/MAY 2015 ALTR 129
“It’s important to look at death because it is part of life.” Says ALEXANDER MCQUEEN about his spring summer 2001 collection In this fascinating, weather-proof outfit of unimaginable technical virtuosity, thousands of duck feathers have been intertwined to form an artificial but convincing “big bird” that could double as a costume for a dancer in the surreal, mysterious thriller, Black Swan. Perhaps it is a visual metaphor for the Angel of Death.
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Lady Gaga wearing Bubelle dress
“Looking at a movement from intelligent to sensitivity technologies” Nancy Tilbury, Creative Director, Studio XO
London-based fashion and technology company STUDIO XO designed a blushing Bubelle dress which changed colors based on the wearer’s mood. Bubelle, the emotion sensing dress was created for Phillips electronics by the “body architect” Lucy MacRae.
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“We decided to create a micro geography with the body where in a way Swarovski dresses are obeyed like TV screens with LED’s which will show the change of the seasons” Hussein Challayan
Collaborating with Swarovski, Hussein CHALLAYAN’s autumn winter 2007 collection was inspired by “the appropriation of the protective sense of empowerment and fears of mortality to the cycles of the weather” Reported by Swarovski. Using the LED technology in his garment, Challayan pushed his boundaries of fashion
LED dress designed by Hussein Challayan
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The era of smart fashion Text // Visual Nikita Mahajan Nikita Mahajan Drishti Vij
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Have you ever felt a fear of leaving your phone at home? A sense of panic taking over, as you can’t even contemplate a day or even an hour without being connected. However, in the future all you would have to do is throw yourself into a ready-to-wear smart jacket with built–in phone and there will be no need for you to contemplate on spending your day without being connected!
As technology is prevailing with time, it is of no surprise that wearable technology and clothing fraternize to be one of the most prevailing trends anticipated in the future. Anita Dongre comments on the future of design and the role of wearable technology in fashion
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Ever thought what the next industrial revolution could be? Ever thought of your dress ringing? The futuristic fusion of fashion and technology seems to be a greater prevalent trend, with designers progressively integrating electronics into their garment. As innovations seem to touch the horizon and wearable technology is believed to transform our lives, we are moving closer to making garments, which are useful, usable and desirable for the people. Clothes are predicted to have profuseness inbuilt functionality. A garment would be more than something that provides us coverage, a sense of style or something, which protects us from the environmental elements. It could have the smartest of wearable devices, which can perform more tasks than our computers. Imagine our device helping us find our way or even converge with connected homes to drive efficiencies without having to tap a button on the screen, the garment could even help us keep in shape by telling us how fit we are, without us needing another wrist band to do so! Yes, that is right our very own garment would be able to scan, track and provide sensory feedback to ourselves. We could get all
the information required just by our garment. The whole idea of the wearable technology is that we remain being hands-free, without us even needing an additional accessory or gadget to experience portable access to the data we need at any given time as per our convenience. Hence, smart clothing would allow us to be truly mobile and self-sustaining in a way, which still makes us look dynamic. In defiance of wearable technology taking to the world, with the sports and fitness industries adapting it in their products with built-in pedometers and active wear with integral iPod controls, the fashion industry still has a long way to go. “Wearable technology is coming through into useful everyday clothing more than it is on the catwalk. The catwalk still treats wearable tech as flashing earrings or sensational things,” says Jane McCann, Director of Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology at the University of Wales, as told to CNN. While high fashion is still crawling its way to adopt practical technology, International designers are fleetingly embracing technology in order to create beaming new styles. Hussein Chalyan, experiments with dresses, which glow with built-in LEDS or emit spectacular red lasers, through his shows. Angel Chang too has produced designs, which use thermo chromic inks that change color on touching them, while a shape- memory alloy Nitinol are used by Montreal’s XS Labs in order to produce state of that art dresses, which change shape while you wear them.
She concludes, “As the future of design is getting more experimental, edgy and driven by innovation the era to “stand out” rather than to “fit in” is soon approaching as futuristic clothing and wearable technology, gets ready to take over the world. “
With many Indian designers gradually progressing to incorporate futuristic elements into their garments, Anita Dongre, a prominent Indian designer mentions, “Futuristic fashion is unquestionably pushing creative boundaries and setting a place for itself by incorporating creative aesthetic with technology and innovation and creating an exclusive and profound design collaboration.” In addition to this, Dongre goes on to add that “ If we look at it from the Indian and a wear ability context, anything, which is too stylized or even constructed and veraciously innovative, it is promptly correlated to drama or theatre in India and thus peeved as too costumed,” Western sensibilities are very peculiar and much more enhanced when it comes to making radical fashion choices, where one could see helium balloons to metallic molded pieces being incorporated and offer a peak into what the future of fashion holds for us. Dongre adds, “showcasing edgy designs on the runway not only creates drama but also is also very stimulating for the audience, it could be too bold for the majority’s wardrobes, but maybe this is what the future holds.” We can see music and pop icons such as Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Madonna donning the futuristic creations, with ease , the Indian audience will still take sometime before becoming fashionably liberal and experimental. “While the Western world adopts such things faster we have to give out country some time to adopt to it. There are designers who are adopting this, but it still is minimal in comparison to the Western World .”
“As the future of design is getting more experimental, edgy and driven by innovation the era to “stand out” rather than to “fit in” is soon approaching as futuristic clothing and wearable technology, get ready to take over the world. “
Apart from functionality, mass customization is another dominant trend, which is yet to emerge in clothing. At present there are sizing booths, which provide us with the measurements of our size and shape. With technology cutting garments one at a time, it could also produce clothes by anyone’s own size requirements but it doesn’t end there, mass customization could extend beyond getting the perfect fit to even customize the technology in the clothing. Someone would want a digital print of the sleeve and someone wouldn’t want that. , whereas another could want a heart-beat monitor, someone would want a digital print of the sleeveor anything else. All of the possibilities could be turned into reality in the coming decade. While it would still be premature to foresee certain attributes or form factors, which prevail in the future, wearable technology certainly presents an enchanting field to study. Traditionally, the idea of Apple moving into telephony amused people. Who knows maybe 10 years down the line Apple too could launch its own I-dress or something similar across those lines? The future is for us to write, with many endless possibilities at our disposal, which can lead to countless new innovations.
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Fashion
vs. ech T
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street style takes on a new avatar with techies adopting fashion and fashionistas adopting tech. Photographed by Drishti Vij
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Nupur Verma
Graphic Designer at Google_
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Rishikesh Maskar
_Fashion Media Communication student
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Eshita Matharu
Consultant at Google_
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Karan Singh
_Fashion Media Communication student
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Siddhima Dubey
Fashion Media Communication student_
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Prateek Sahay
_Marketing Intern at Google
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The Moore’s Law
Maksimalist According to Moore’s Law, Processor speeds for computers will double every two years. Photographed by Sarah Ishtiyaque, Sangya Nagar & Drishti Vij Hair & Make Up by Jahnvi Bansal Styled by Sangya Nagar, Nikita Mahajan, Sarah Ishtiyaque Art Direction by Nikita Mahajn, Sangya Nagar, Sarah Ishtiyaque & Drishti Vij
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Rational Evolution
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Transistors Per Square Inch Doubles Every Year
Minimalist
GREEN CHOICES A STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE FASHION
“My work has been inspired by the beauty of the amorphous, something that can take different shapes,can take different forms, it has the humanity to accept everything that comes in its way” - Amit Aggarwal Text // Visual Sangya Nagar
W
hen Amit Aggarwal decided to re-launch his prêt label, AM.IT he knew that the thought process had to be unique to stand out in a sea of design gurus. Up cycling, recycling were words that are today loosely thrown around, but he knew that to be able to take fashion to the next level, being different was all about thinking ingeniously. The designer says, “We have worked on creating textiles through various mediums and dyeing techniques. Weaves like Chanderiand ikats will be used as the base fabric,” adding on to this he says “we have tried to create new textiles by using indigenous techniques.” That’s why his Autumn-winter 2015 show at the Amazon Fashion Week merged technology with innovative techniques. Today, technology plays a big role in sustainable development in all of its aspects: social, environmental, and economic. Everything that we need for our survival depends on the environment in which we are surrounded. Environmental sustainability creates and sustains a condition in which both nature and human can exist in a productive harmony with one another maintaining social and economical requirements, by maintaining a lifestyle that doesn’t deplete the available resources and ensuring our future generation will also be able to sustain themselves. However, the needs of the present are vast and often conflicting. As consumers are increasingly becoming aware of sustainability, their concern of being sustainable or following sustainable lifestyle is applicable for different human activity areas like designing, manufacturing, computing, architecture, agriculture, transportation and many more to be named. If talked about fashion, we have come a long way from Flintstone fashion, where people used to wear animal skin of
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a deer or a tiger that they had for dinner.
SUSTAINABILTY AND FASHION With the increasing awareness of sustainability, clothing manufacturers are getting out of their comfort zones i.e. usage of available resources and stepping out to more environmental accountability, technology is taking off, like Abraham & Thakore’s “old & new” collection is about wasted fabrics, bits of discarded X- rays and films to make his autumn winter 2015 collection. “The collection was inspired by Kantha because kantha is original vintage brocade of India and we are doing it here much before it became fashionable,” David Abraham says. “Using old tone saris and using them together to make new clothes is what we did. So that’s the inspiration behind the collection... using rampant waste, cut pieces and sourced from all over. We have used unusual materials that have never been used and incorporated all this in the collection,” he added.
“Using old tone saris and using them together to make new clothes is what we did. So that’s the inspiration behind the collection... using rampant waste, cut pieces and sourced from all over. We have used unusual Shani Himanshu and Smita Singh Rahtore’s materials that have label 11.11 did something similar in their never been used fall 2015 collection, keeping in mind the sustainability factor. The duo says “We have and incorporated used our signature textile: a selection of this in the fine silks vegetable dyed and hand-painted all contrasted with our anchor handlooms collection rustic khadi denim and khadi kala cotton.” Abrahan & S U S T A N I A B I L I T Y Thakorere,” MEETS
TECHNOLOGY
Today, technology has become a keystone for any organization’s pursuit in a rapidly changing and complex environment. Technology plays an important role in strengthening and reinforcing the sustainability efforts for bringing social and environmental sustainability in the fashion industry.
Technology is helping fashion become more transparent with the involvement of green technology in various aspects such as green design, green material, green manufacturing and so on. These concepts have relevance to various key areas in the fashion value chain where eco-friendly technology and alternate solutions can replace the conventional methods. The coming years are going to witness integration of green technology in various stages from fibre to fabric, from raw material to the finished fashion article covering the farming, sourcing, designing, manufacturing aspects and from manufacturer to retailer and finally to the consumer covering the warehousing, ordering, transportation, retailing, consuming and post-consumer management.
The idea of adding more functions to the garments beyond the basic design aspect is the current reality in the fashion industry, because of this there is a juxtaposition of various artists and science and technology has increased with a new understanding of materials, aesthetics standards, color and even the market.
functional food) material that can be used like fabric or vegetable leather to make clothing. German microbiology student turned designer Anke Domaske has been using milk to create a new fabric called QMilch. Californian high-tech sports apparel company Virus made their Stay Warm line of coldweather clothing from recycled coffee beans.
Fashion practices are becoming more ecofriendly and supportive of the sustainability movement. Indian fashion designer and technologist Siddhartha Upadhyaya, of eco-fashion label August Fashion has created Direct Panel of Loop (DPOL), a process which utilizes a loom, attached to a computer,that weaves made-to-fit garment sections. They are then sewn together by hand. No fabric waste is created because no fabric is cut in the process. Upadhyaya says, “The garments produced using DPOL technology depicts perfect blend of textile technology, garment engineering and fashion designing. Fabric is especially designed and manufactured for its particular end use. The garments are unique and are difficult to copy as their fabric is especially woven by the designer using particular yarns as desired, and fabric is not available in the market.” as reproted by pretcastle.
Textile industry is one the most water pollutant industry. Some 20% of water pollution generated is from textile dyeing and treatment. To end this, AirDye technology was introduced by Colorep in California. AirDye is a water-free printer that claims can save up to 95% of the water, 86% of the energy and 84% of the greenhouse gases used in conventional print and dye methods.
Suzanne Lee, fashion designer and TED fellow has been creating a kombucha-based (lightly frothy fragmented drink used as
3D printing is also changing the approach of designers. Iris Van Herpen debuted two 3D garments at Paris Fashion Week
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a comprehensive fibre certification program developed by leading standard setters in order to define internationally recognized requirements. It sets the stage for many of the new technologies being developed today. The standards ensure “organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide credible assurance to the consumer.”
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2014
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material.
The idea of adding more functions to the garments beyond the basic design aspect is the current reality in the fashion industry, because of this there is a juxtaposition of various artists and science and technology has increased with a new understanding of materials, aesthetics standards, color and even the market. From nanotechnology up to microbiology, the reach of scientific development in fashion is unlimited. The possibilities for further advancements are endless. The next decades will see the gradual meeting of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive technologies. Typical results will be materials with different metamorphic, thermal and optical properties, integration of IT into fabrics, and linkage of our bodies to the network for medical and communication purposes, via clothing or skin-wearable. Innovation starts with a question, and continues to come into the mind with the passion of an idea obsessed leader. As a society we are living in a sonic boom of consciousness where we not only envision a better life for our future generations but we also demand and produce results. Technology is the backbone of sustainability in fashion and it will continue grow to support its development until one day it is simply the norm. Until then we can continue to fantasize about our very own unreal fictitious wardrobes complete with all the fixings
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Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. -Arthur C. Clarke
ALTR ISSUE 0.1 THE HOLY GRAIL