The dress transforms based on the wearer’s level of arousal through micro-gestures and affective states, taking biofeedback data from the wearer
The Extimacy Dress is a collaborative, experimental, and speculative project which came out of my thesis on full body gesture interaction. The research question for my thesis was, how can gesture change the way we interact with our environment, and more specifically, how can it change the way we fall in love? The dress senses the wearer’s level of arousal through micro-gestures and affective states, taking biofeedback data from the wearer. The project is presented in two parts. First, a live performance where the dress is worn by the dancer during which the dancer responds in a gestural dialogue. The second part is a video installation capturing flirtation in non-verbal, intentional traces based on externalized intimate emotions. The dress uses gesture recognition and machine learning to develop a communication system of its own.
Hana Zeqa is an MA Costume Design for Performance graduate from UAL: London College of Fashion. Prior to her MA she finished her BA for Stage Design and has also a musical background. Her experience varies from film, video, tv and space installation. Having costume as the main focus, she is interested in visual experimentation with multimedia and technology.
The result of the project was exhibited at the London College of Communication as a video installation and performed by Amy at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, UK. The exhibition talks about the gestures in love and attraction along with footage of the dress opening. It is aimed at opening up discussion around the researched topics from my thesis.
