“We want the world to experience materials that are out of the ordinary, understanding that they are available now and not necessarily just sci-fi futuristic fashion predictions,” Lauren Bowker tells Forbes; the RCA graduate’s unconventional design studio cum fashion brand The Unseen having recently launched Air, a new range of future-forward science-led accessories.
Bowker goes under the title Material Alchemist, and it’s a fitting nod to the occult — her work certainly holds an air of mystique. This is more than Global Hypercolor, Bowker’s work includes alligator skin with season-shifting responsive ink and a calfskin backpack that responds to fluctuations in air pressure. What if our clothes told us about the things we can’t see — Lauren’s work in this field began by developing a pollution-absorbent ink — what if the tech in ‘wearable tech’ was the wearable itself? The Unseen’s latest range of products are beautiful objects, but its where Bowker’s future leads us that’s really interesting.