'Human Enhancement' concentrates on the scientific form of prosthetics and how creators of this inspiring human form have made these a fashion trend. Using sources from TED and i-D magazine, this article brings an interesting and exciting aspect to human prosthetics and fashion and what the future holds for these two counterparts.
Human
Enhancement
The University of Oxford defines human enhancement as “the
use of medicine, technology and techniques to improve the capacities of people
beyond what we would consider normal or healthy.”
Medicine and Technology are two subjects that continue to display
a vast progression each year, with new developments that are available to the
present human being; perhaps there is a question of how the provoking of change
will affect our future of living. 2012 saw the announcement of a new drug that
would help the performance of individuals in the work place, by using the ‘Cognitive’-enhancing drug would see an improvement in a person’s ability
to work longer, harder and to become smarter in their profession. These
drugs are not just designed to help the human body’s performance in a working
environment, but also enhance physical disability; this would be seen in a new
discovery of bionic limbs and exoskeletons. The future of being expresses the
continuing renovation of the enhancement of human activity within disabled
individuals, by modern creations of prosthetic limbs that are now being
designed with the idea of these becoming statement pieces, Jennifer Maloney has
stated on her Pannone blog that prosthetics have been given ‘an arty twist’
within the fashion industry. To make the individual feel more worthy of their
body, selected designers have constructed prosthetics that generate a sense of inventive
unorthodox that their limbs no longer look unadorned and unattractive to the
eye. Humans now have the opportunity to feel a sense of rejoice when beholding their
new limbs and feel as confident as a fashion-forward individual, who would lead
the dare-to-wear trends of monochrome and neon prints featured in the latest
designer ranges, revivifying the cobbled streets of London, or the suave
overlays of Paris or New York.
After countless trial and errors over the future of human
prosthetics, an advancing step has materialised in the construction of the
bionic suit. The exoskeleton comprises a computer system that monitors the
individual’s weight and balance from each limb, initiating the beginning of
movement and enabling the individual to stand, walk and climb stairs that is
powered by a battery source in a backpack. The ReWalk production has instigated
the future of mobility technology for humans and has made a statement on the
fashion catwalk. Most recently in Ecuador, ‘Bionic Fashion Day’ saw sixteen
models all who had survived cancer, take to the catwalk in garments created by
Ecuadorean designers proudly showing off their bionic limbs, sending a message
to the world that they are just like everyone else but with a unique guise.
Another successful breakthrough where disability is widely accepted within the
fashion industry, exemplifies with activist Aimee Mullins. Once speaking for
TED, Aimee redefines what the body is capable of and the benefits it can bring
to an individual who has prosthetic limbs. She stated that she wanted to have a
“conversation in potential”, the potential to look beautiful with a prosthetic
limb is as easy now than ever before. She expressed her potential to be noticed
by the likes of the late Alexander McQueen, who since she has modelled for on
his runway show and has also had her own cover in ID magazine titled
‘Fashion-able’. There is the initial feeling of misfortune for someone who has
prosthetic limbs, but there is also a gift Aimee has been given since losing
her limbs, to have all of the possible opportunities she has had. The
expression of ‘two sides of the same coin’ is represented more clearly with
future developments of the bionic limb, the same chances of a disabled person
breaking into the fashion industry is now more equivalent. The future of
technology and human enhancement sees the possibilities are endless for all
walks of life to achieve their goals. These and many more events that declare
the success of new developments for human form, express an exciting forthcoming
for the disabled within the fashion industry.
Prosthetics have more than one terminology, one that is not
often acknowledged enough is that these artificial limbs are considered a work
of art. Scott Summit is one designer that creates prosthetics; along with an orthopedic
surgeon he creates 3-D printing over basic prosthetic covers to enhance the
human body and design human sculptures that bring back a feeling of normality
in the body shapes of his customers. In a recent interview with Scott, when
asked whether he thinks his 3-D prosthetics will be replaced with something
different in the future, he stated that “3-D printing is largely experimental,
I envision a day when a leg may comprise a variety of technologies and
materials, some 3-D printed, others created traditionally and some created
organically”. Scott’s creative prosthetics are currently made out of some
materials that include; 2013’s favourite contemporaneous leather which allows
customers to express their personal style, by having the option to swap their
customary designed fairings to suit different fashion occasions. There appears
to be an air of encouraging future for amputees and the development of prolific
prosthetics. Other pioneering artists include CJ Munn & Andre Masters, individuals
who express a significant worth in contemporary art with an array of captivating
unaccustomed sculptures of the human body. Their innovative visions use delicate paisley
motifs and floral output, with the use of the prosthetic limb as their canvas.
These and many more artistic creations were involved in the ‘Spare Parts’
Exhibition in London, an exhibition that forms a variety of artists that use
the prosthetic as their main focus. CJ Munn and Andre Masters have already been
well deservedly recognised from within the fashion industry, David Bailey and
Manolo Blahnik are just some of the names that have used Munn and Andre’s
groundbreaking designs in their work. ‘Spare Parts’ continue the future
provoking of the prosthetic reaching new levels of recognition within the fashion
industry. The new development of visionary prosthetics continues the increasing
potential a disabled human would have in achieving success of becoming the same
as every other human. Whilst an addition potential in the future prosthetic being
sighted across more designer catwalk shows as accessories or as beautiful
adornments within the homes of the top fashion designers, making the prosthetic
widely accepted within fashion. Without these artists, the future of
prosthetics would become awfully bleak for the future human being. Boundaries
need to be broken to continue this evolution of human enhancement, taking the
traditional and turning this into a modern beauty that will make the individual
feel normal again. The word ‘inspiring’ is widely used when discussing a
disability issue, we say that it is ‘inspiring’ that a disabled individual can
do the same activities a non-disabled person can do, we can also say that it is
‘inspiring’ for a disabled individual to look fashionable because future developments
in prosthetic limbs are now becoming a fashion statement. These developments
themselves are enthusing, as the future generation of disabled can look forward
to persisting the trend of fashionable prosthetics further.
Many theories have been tried and tested over the years to
create an evolution of the disabled human body. For example, British
researchers are developing a wireless bionic where by prosthetics can connect
to the nervous system purely with wireless implants that are fitted directly
into the amputation of the limb. Up to now, Professor Fawcett has stated that
since this new stratagem began, there have been tests on rats and mice and no
problems have been identified so far throughout the 12-month testing period.
Elsewhere in Italy, in 2011 researchers found a break through in their trial of
a wireless bionic hand fitted to the nervous system of a man that was
controlled purely by his thoughts. Prosthetics had the initial perception as
scientific functions that were made to return some movement back to the lost
limbs of the human being, today with modern technology, prosthetics have also
shown the ability to create a new identity whilst also becoming a futuristic fashion
statement piece. A fantastic memoir for the future development of fashion and
the human form can be exemplified with the avant-garde fusions from artist Bart
Hess. His collaboration with artist Lucy McRae and stylist Alister Mackie saw a
surreal exposure of a different kind of prosthesis. A combination of Alister’s
A/W 2010 collection and animal coatings saw an array of tremendous extensions
of the human body, that was captured through the eyes of famous photographer
Nick Knight for the A/W 2010 issue of Another magazine. Bart is known for his
eccentric materials when creating different human forms for the new world, he
is another example of the future artist that can create elaborate pieces of art
that mix well with the futuristic fashion, whilst creating a message of extreme
prosthetic style.
In 2009, Luke Staniland from the Office of Disability
Issues had found that a disabled person can now be considered more ‘able’ than
their non-disabled counterparts, “people were also more likely to think of
disabled people as the same as everybody else”. This is
a desire that disabled individuals wanted, mirroring the desire ordinary people
have when they seek the latest fashion craze. Over 10 million people in
the UK are dealing with a disability and 6 million of them are suffering from
mobility problems. With the incredible scientific technologies that are being
designed and made more available to the next generation, the future looks more
appealing than ever before, with more opportunities being presented for
disabled people to work in their desired profession without being judged on
their appearance. The ever increasing developments in fashion and the human
form is becoming equally extreme as technology in fashion. Original seems to
have taken over traditional, with the future looking more scientific and less
human like, fashion houses will have to adapt to these revolutions in the near
future if they want to continue in the industry.
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