Japan is known for being a leader in technological innovations. But it has also gained a reputation for being a center for wacky ideas and innovations. The Japanese have a knack of really thinking out of the box and devising really weird inventions that may make us laugh but at the back of our minds, it would also make us think and say “why didn’t I think of that?”
Take for example the idea of Aya Tsukioka for urban camouflage. This camo is an answer to the rising incidence of street crime in Japan. Other people might think of personal security devices like mace, tasers, personal alarms or security cameras. But leave it to Tsukioka to think of a more innovative and definitely more outlandish answer to the problem. Tsukioka, who describes herself as an experimental clothing designer, designed a skirt where, if you lift up a flap, will transform the wearer into a soda vending machine. The illusion is believable enough.
She has designed a line of different products with the same “camo” dual feature, like a purse that becomes a manhole cover and bag that can become a fire hydrant. It would be cool to imagine a whole city that has assimilated Tsukioka’s designs. I can just picture men and women suddenly disappearing and turning into benches, trees or phone booths. It would be such an interesting city to live in!
For $800, you can bring the reality of a wearable vending machine home.