T-1 WORLD CUP/English » A Visit from the Designer! -Usman Haque-




A Visit from the Designer! -Usman Haque-

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The designer of “The Configurable T-shirt”, Usman Haque, visited our office!
“The Configurable T-shirt” is a design that enables you to create your own t-shirt by coloring the pixels on it.

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── Hi Usman, nice to meet you!
Usman Hi! The pleasure is mine!
── Thank you for joining this year’s T-1 WORLD CUP!
Usman Thank you for inviting me. Designing a t-shirt is something I rarely get the chance to do, so I was really interested in it.
── Of course, you’re an architect. Architects design buildings, not t-shirts.
What do you think of the other contestant’s t-shirts?
Usman Hmmmm…. Personally, I like Tom’s t-shirt the most. I think he’s going to win again this year. I think the “Fighting Club” is another potential winner. The design reminds me of the movie “Shaolin Soccer”! Nando’s design is also interesting…
── The t-shirts you choose seem to be a lot different from your own design…
Usman Maybe that’s the reason why I like them. I’m not a “designer” myself, so I’m attracted to these kinds of “designed” t-shirts.
── Where did you get the idea for “The Configurable T-shirt”?
Usman In the architectural world today, the general concept is that the architect creates the “architecture” including the interior, and the residents reside in that creation.
I want to change that idea.
I want to create something like a container, where people living in it can freely design the space.
This t-shirt is based on that idea. The t-shirt should be different depending on the person wearing it.
── I see. How come you designed the “container” for this t-shirt like 2 wings?
Usman It’s the image of drawing graffiti on walls. You can create two dimensional or three dimensional designs, using these two walls.

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── You made a website where people can try designing this t-shirt, and see other people’s designs like a gallery.
Usman Yes. A total of 250 people designed their t-shirt in the past 4 days.
── Wow!
Usman Some people drew patterns, some people wrote political messages… It’s really interesting to see all the different designs by different people. People can change other people’s design if they want.
── So the designs keep on changing!
Usman Yup. If you draw the name of your country on the left wall, and design your national flag on the right wall…
── I see! You can create “the t-shirt for your country”!
Usman Actually, someone designed “JPN” and a person kicking the ball on the left, and the right as the goal, so that when you score a goal, the right wall becomes the national flag of Japan!
── By the way, you sent us a photo of the t-shirts.
Usman Yes.

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Usman The random colored dots are done by me, and the t-shirt in the middle is done by my wife. “OPEN BUBBLE” is the name of my next project. The one on the right is done by my wife’s brother, a bicycle designer. And my mother is designing another one right now. I’ll send a photo of her when it’s finished!
── Thanks! We’ll be waiting! Thanks for coming today!
Usman Not at all! It was great being here! Thanks!

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Usman left us a gift, an assorted package of tea. The tea was flavorful! Thank you!

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Check out Usman’s web gallery, and try “configuring” your own t-shirt!

2006/6/26