Charming e-burka

THIS IS ONE PUZZLING CRAZY FUNNY INVENTION

Markus Kison’s ‘Charming Burka’ was showcased at Seamless, a fashion event, featuring innovative and experimental works, interactive clothing, and technology-based fashion organised by MIT Media Lab graduate students.

‘Charming Burka’ is a digitally-enabled covering that gives the wearer the option of electronically displaying the face they are being made to hide. A controversial product, though not explicitly forbidden by Islamic law, the burka apparently deals with Freud’s idea that all clothes can be positioned between appeal and shame.

The German designer describes the concept behind his project:

"The Burka was chosen because it is often perceived in the west as a symbol of repression. Then a digital layer was added to it so that women can decide for themselves where they want to position themselves virtually. The Burka sends an image, chosen by the wearer, via bluetooth. Every person next to her can receive her picture via mobile phone and see the woman’s self-determined identity. The laws of the Koran are not broken, so the Charming Burka fulfills the desire of living a more western life, which some Muslim women desire today. The Burka is equipped with bluetooth antenna/micro-controller and uses the OBEX protocol, already working with most mobile phones."

More than 1000 visitors attended the show in the Boston Museum of Science. Model Meiver De la Cruz presented the 'CharmingBurka' on the catwalk, while the audience could receive the portrait of the model on their mobile phones. After the catwalk visitors came around to discuss the idea or pick up the picture, if they weren't able to do it before.