The Aqua
7 WEEKS | INDIVIDUAL PROJECT | 2020
Water is something we can't live without; how can we increase our awareness and appreciate water in a different way?
The Aqua is a handbag that only carries water; it reevaluates a daily object, a drinking vessel—turning a water container into a fashion item, a handbag.
In this project I was able to bring a fashion perspective to product design and consider what can make the concept even more powerful. It is my aim that the product will tell a story and convey messages to people. Although the Aqua is only focused on water, I think if this design thinking could be translated into evoke global awareness, the effect would be rather significant.
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Brainstorming
The project began with the play with the generic plastic cup and brainstorming different ways to hold it. The exercise was a great exploration of containment, specifically how to elevate awareness of the mundane to create something beautiful and meaningful.
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Prototyping
During the brainstorming process, I began to think about how people carry essential items with them. Furthermore, I got the idea that a handbag usually contained items that one considers important and needs to have access to constantly. I decided to expand this concept into my drinking vessel project. I want to design a bag that carries the preciousness and value of water.
To begin with, I use acrylic as the material for the vessel and tube for the bag handle. It is acrylic because I wanted to make it transparent so that people could observe the beauty of the water. Moreover, the tube would be able to serve more than one purpose. It can be used as a handle for the bag as well as a straw to drink water from the bag.
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My goal is to make it look more like a handbag that one would carry on a daily basis. The material was changed to vinyl and the bag was sewed so the product looks more like a real fashion item. Since it is meant to hold water, I used an ultrasonic sewing machine instead of a conventional sewing machine to create more prototypes and test if it is capable of sealing.
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Final Prototype and Project Future Plan
The final prototype resembles a handbag more than the first. Nevertheless, the project and its concept could be greatly expanded with a lot more details and refinement to the form and function. I will continue to explore and implement this project, and ultimately I hope to use this concept to make a new statement in fashion and product design. Drawing attention to and raising awareness about global issues through design.
