Costume Studies
NYU Steinhardt
Spanish
Bota bag, 20th century
Goat hair, green leather, red synthetic string, and black plastic
SUPPLEMENTATION
The Bota bag is a traditional container from Spain, mainly used as a wineskin, and typically composed of leather and goatskin. Historically, thirsty rural Spaniards used Bota bags to carry wine to work fields and mines, or on long journeys. Its narrow nozzle allows liquid to flow in a continuous stream, making it possible to drink without touching the bottle. Traditionally, Bota bags were made from goat bladders with tree sap or resins applied during the making process to prevent liquids from seeping through. Modern versions, like the example on display here, have a plastic liner, nozzle and a latex interior for storing and carrying cold drinks safely.
SkinBag (French, founded 2000)
Olivier Goulet (French, born 1969)
“Animal” bag, ca. 2005
Beige latex
Courtesy Olivier Goulet - SkinBag
PROTRUSION
SkinBag is an innovative design house founded by French designer Olivier Goulet. The handcrafted “Animal” bag shown here features an umbilical cord–like strap and is constructed from a piece of seamless latex whose wrinkled texture and organic appearance approximate synthetic skin. With this design, Goulet aims to create a genuine–looking external organ which could be incorporated into the wearer’s everyday life. One can transport objects in the bag or wear it as a fashionable accessory. The design materializes the ambivalence between the natural body and the optimized prosthetic body and challenges the gaze by bringing the “organ” from internal to external, like a mutation. SkinBag broadens our imagination and triggers a rethinking of the human body.