Since the last time we met, Danielle just went on with her project. She is still organising many things. The expectations of WEAR Sustain are still not fulfilled. But it takes shape and she is in contact with many people to solve the organisational problems. Phone calls and Skype meetings are on her daily agenda.
Moreover, she tries to develop the Meditation Lab by visualising a to-do list of what has to be adapted about the wearable, both for the design and the technology aspect.
Meanwhile, the questionnaire is in development. The first version is finished and Danielle already logged two sessions. She still wants to add some other aspects which can influence the quality of the meditation session.
Danielle tries to organise her thoughts and plans by making a mind map. Data, relaxation, surroundings, habit, technology and insight are the most important points for her which led to other aspects she wants to explore. A great insight from creating the mind map is that the project brings together a lot of contrasts. The tradition of meditation is opposed to the technology she uses; There is a tension between not knowing and insight, between just feeling and influencing those feelings. It is the famous theme from Buddhism that there is no difference between form and emptiness. Danielle wants these contrasts to come back in the design of the Silence Suit because it is also a tension between a personal experience that you want to share with the community and a personal development that you want to express. So it also has to be a part of the design. That is why Danielle created a mood board after becoming aware of the contrasts.
The mind map and the mood board work very well to communicate her ideas to others. For me, many things become clearer now.
We visit Léanne, the designer. Danielle takes the mood board with her to show Léanne her plans. “The suit has to become less sporty and more classic. It is just another look, the base stays the same”, she explains. Léanne understands very well what Danielle wants, but it seems difficult to find the right cloth. It has to be classic, biological and preferably naturally. But it also has to be comfortable and not too thick, otherwise will get it too warm while meditating. We are going to make a sketch of the wearable, so the cloth is not so important now. But Léanne promises to look for other cloths which will fulfil Danielle’s criteria.
At the end of the day, we leave Léanne’s design studio with some dark gray biological cotton stretch, lilac linen and some black and silver network fabric. “I want to play with open and closed”, Danielle says, “maybe it can give the design a new layer, if you can see the first layer of the suit as well as the under vest.” Now I can start sewing a sketch of the suit, so we can work on the design of the cabling next week.