...the name I am currently using to entitle my latest creation in response to a design brief provided by the toy store Hamleys. At the heart of my design is imagination, playfulness and interaction. I remember my little self trying on shoes 5 sizes too big and wearing random assortments of hats and scarfs. It was fun. More importantly, there was no television in front of me or electronic eqiupment in my hand. Children have to remeber how to play, and how to be together. It is all very well having a play room equipped with the latest playstation etc. but how far does the bond between parent and child go when this is the case? How many children bond and stimulate each others development and imagination by simultaneously staring at a computer screen. Throuhgout this project my main aim was to get away from the technlogical aspect of 'playing' that is so common in society.
To explain my design simply it is a clothing range; primary function being dressing up and entangling yourself with the rest of yourself or with other little ( or big) people you want to play with. I created rough prototypes from old clothes and scraps of material. I made them the correct size for my own age group so I could test the principle of the idea before testing it out on the kids. The group of twenty year old girls, my lovely friends and fellow designers, had great fun playing with my models. The room filled with laughter and attracted attention from others in the room.
The incorporation of pockets,zips,velcro and buttons will indeed provide a learning aspect to my design. As it is aimed at 3 to 8 year olds, there are indeed children in this age bracket who may have difficulty using buttons or laces.
The beauty of this project is that it is all about fun. We had such a laugh testing it out I thought to myself there is nothing stopping this idea from developing into the adult market as a drinking game or just something to bring smiles all round. I am unsure wether to make this design an actual game with rules and a 'winner', my gut instinct is telling me to stay away from this aspect and just let their imagination run wild!
I do want to make my design modular. I like the idea of the tops opening at the back and then fastening onto each other so the children would all be connected but still be able to move and intertwine with each other.
The design itself is very simple. There are so many various ways I could develop this but at the same time I am scared of over developing it. I have to start looking into materials, textures and cost! How would I market 'Hokey Pokey'? There could be various ranges, like winter or summer? Outfits for playing in the snow or at the beach in the sea. Indoor or outdoor? Rain or shine? I need to find out how children percieve clothes? I need to focus on a principle material?
Tomorrow is a day full of opportunity. A few small boys aged 3-6 are coming into my studio to test our models. I want to use this time efficiently. I intend to create character profiles, scenarios and story boards. Without a doubt I will be observing the children, looking at how the interact with their surroundings. I have to consider what the cultural and environmental effects of my design would be? The analysis of potential error is also important as it a product aimed at children. Hope tomorrow is inspiring!
