Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

“I speak through my clothes” - Umberto Eco, 1973
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Content
Research 4
Brainstorming
Initial criteria
Problem statement
Initial questions
Personas
Existing solutions
Nature
More applications
26
Design direction
Concepts
Revised criteria
Final product 33
Concept
Form
Features
Scenarios
45
Bibliography
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Brainstorming
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it’s up to you .
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Initial criteria
The term subculture is usually
defined by experts as an identifi-
able subgroup of society with a
distinctive set of behaviors, beliefs,
values, and norms. These shared
ideals may be related to music,
fashion, lifestyles, rituals and con-
ventions; and can be distinguished
by age, race, ethnicity, class, loca-
tion and gender. Though a subcul-
ture is subordinate to the dominant
culture of a society, it sometimes
allows individuals greater group
identification and is part of our natu-
ral desire to experience a sense of
belonging.
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Subcultures are constantly challenging hegemony in our contemporary civi-
lization through a clearly distinguishing use of style. This superficial level of
appearances, is at the same time, charged with a high voltage of significance.
Their appropriation of common objects can even lead to secret meanings and
interpretations only accessible to those that belong to that particular subcul-
ture. Moreover, they usually adapt images, styles and ideologies that are avail-
able in various media like television, films or even magazines (like high fashion
publications for instance) in order to build an alternative identity that could be
seen as their Otherness. They do also question the idea of “naturalness” of
class and gender stereotypes that are a product of our mechanized way of liv-
ing visible through their subversion in style.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Initial criteria
There is an extremely interesting them part of the consumer’s market
:
response in the general public when without sabotaging their eccentric-
they first see a new subculture. ity? How can we make a punk/hip-
Whereas they are ridiculed and re- pie/Goth have its own personalized
viled by the conservative sectors of product that best suits his or her
the media, politics and the judicial particular habitual way of behaving?
system who portray them as people
with social problems, they are being
embraced by fashion designers and
cool hunters. The truth is that we
persistently try to learn from them.
However, by using them as our de-
sign inspirations, by portraying their
beliefs and spreading their ideas,
we unconsciously make them part
of our own idiosyncrasy thus de-
stroying their anarchical existence.
That brings us to our delicate posi-
tion of addressing such an inter-
esting and controversial question:
How can we design mass produced
goods for individuals that refuse to
be part of the majority? And even
more enchanting, how do we make
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Stylistic innovations are the first things that attract the media to want to know
more about subcultures. Each new subculture establishes new trends, gener-
ates new looks and sounds which feed back into the appropriate industries,
generating a boom in production, publicity and packaging. Nevertheless, this
inevitably leads to the diffusion of the subculture’s subversive power-innova-
tions and mutates directly into high fashion and mainstream fashion, creat-
ing new styles that completely loose the essence and ideals of these groups.
Therefore, as soon as the original innovations which signify subculture are
translated into commodities and made generally available, they become “fro-
zen”, alienated and impersonal. They get produced in mass scale, become
codified, made comprehensible, and turned into profitable merchandise.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Initial criteria
Their outfits are seen as subcultural stylistic ensembles - combinations of
dress, dance, argot, music, etc- instead of individual pieces of clothing, where
they display their own code. They also object the idea of obviousness and give
new meanings and opposing readings to existing objects. It is through the dis-
tinctive use of style that they reveal their secret identity and communicate their
forbidden meanings. Most of their fashion work combines confrontational and
shocking capacities to strike the viewer and take him/her into an undiscovered
new world. What is even more interesting is their ability to keep re contextual-
izing products in the same way that ready-mades revolutionized the art world
during the mid 20th century.
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The aesthetic expression for them aims to communicate notions, subtleties, complexities, which have not yet been formu-
lated and although they might seem meaningless in the classrooms, courts and media, they are put on display in shops.
Nonetheless, the top fashion designers keep arguing that the subcultures use style from mutations and extensions of al-
ready existing codes rather than a consequence and pure expression of a creative drive. And although they still label them
as having monstrous and unnatural features, they keep “borrowing” them to ideate new collections. But style for subcul-
tures go way beyond the idea of beauty; for them they are expressive forms that manifest a fundamental tension between
those in power and those condemned to subordinate positions and second class lives; it is their way of resisting against
mainstream living and their only road to self-expression and therefore, to being unique individuals.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Problem statement
There is a great need for the devel-
opment of a product or system that
supports individual expression in
the midst of impersonal and inhu-
man everyday objects, taking us
away from indifference and into a
world of consumer activeness and
customization.
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Research Initial questions
The unavoidable question seems
to be: can the normal user design?
Through our research on subcul-
tures it all indicates that they have
been doing it for years. They have
been adapting their clothes in order
to stand out from the stereotypes
created by mass produced fash-
ion. The relatively unusual fact is
that the majority of the consumers
are looking to follow these tribes’
steps in order to differentiate from
their peers. We all seem to want
products that no one else seems
to have; whether it is through an
expensive one-of-a-kind object that
we can brag about, or an engraved
phrase in our mp3 player. Although
subcultures are an extreme case of
self-expression, we are all trying in
one way or another to have our own
style and constantly pursuing to put
into practice our creativity; whether
it is through a certain accessory
we wear, special wallpaper in our
computer or even by changing the
ingredients of an entrée at a restau-
rant.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Initial questions
Fashion is the most immediate common vs. unique. But is there
and in-your-face means we have any way we can combine technol-
to demonstrate our discontent with ogy and fashion to allow individual
popular trends. The interesting fact customization and freedom of ex-
about fashion resides in the reality pression? How can we encourage
that everything done in this sec- creativity in a generation that has
tor needs to be carefully assisted been forced to accept products that
by the human being, in contrast to lack any sense of singularity? How
the world of technological gadgets can we help groups like the subcul-
which are indeed almost entirely tures mentioned in this project to
manufactured by machines. So that have their own style without jeopar-
leads us to reflect on the idea that dizing their aspirations of not being
mass customization in the fashion part of the mainstream culture?
industry could easily occur due to
the implementation of human labor.
While it would take changing the
entire production process in order
to customize an electronic product,
a piece of garment could be easily
altered thousands of times without
subverting the manufacturing chain.
Therefore we are facing the univer-
sal concerns of technology vs. man-
made, impersonal vs. customized,
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Research Personas
Ideology
DIY (do it yourself) ethic. Anticonsumerism, self reliant, rejection of the idea
that one must always purchase the things that one wants or needs from oth-
ers. Avoid contributing to institutions they see as exploitative. DIY is sometimes
simply a way of finding alternative solutions to problems that are otherwise
usually solved with wealth or corporate support. Progressive political view.
Fashion
Leather, denim, spikes, chains, and combat boots. Vests, bondage pants (often
plaid) and torn clothing. There is a large influence by DIY-created and modified
clothing, such as ripped or stitched-together pants or shirts. Hair is typically
dyed in bright colors such as red, blue, green, pink or orange and arranged
into a mohawk or liberty spikes. Hair can also be cut very short or shaved.
Belts with metal studs, and bullet belts are popular. Leather or denim jackets
and vests often have patches or are painted with logos that express musical
tastes or political views. Pants are usually tapered tightly. Metal spikes or studs
are often added to jackets and vests.
Music
Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash, Green Day, Patti Smith, Misfits, NOFX,
Rancid, Bad Religion.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Personas
Ideology
Related to romanticism and neoromanticism. Based on tolerance rather than
violence. Apolitical nature. Individualism, tolerance for diversity, a strong em-
phasis on creativity, tendency toward intellectualism, a dislike of social conser-
vatism, and a mild tendency towards cynicism. Goth ideology is based far more
on aesthetics than ethics or politics.
Fashion
Dark, sometimes morbid, eroticized fashion and style of dress. Typical Gothic
fashion includes black dyed hair and black clothes. Both male and female
Goths wear dark eyeliner and dark fingernails. Styles are often borrowed from
the Elizabethans and Victorians. Goth style’s rejection of mainstream values,
emphasis on freedom of expression, and challenging taboos makes it difficult
to define its aesthetic principles. Goth fashion emphasizes transformation of
the body, elements of beauty, order, conscious eroticism and ‘otherness’ that
flouts conventions.
Music
The Cure, Bauhaus, Death Cult, London after Midnight, The Cult, Nosferatu,
Souxsie and the banshees, Ausgang.
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Ideology
Pacifism. Non violent political demonstrations. Anti war movement. Dropping
out of society. Drugs culture (specially canabis and LSD). Hippies tended to
travel light and could pick up and go wherever the action was at any time (mi-
gratory beliefs). Embraced the sexual revolution. Explore alternative states of
consciousness. Hippies rejected established institutions, criticized middle class
values, opposed nuclear weapons and the Vietnam War, embraced aspects
of Eastern philosophy, championed sexual liberation, were often vegetar-
ian and eco-friendly, promoted the use of psychedelic drugs to expand one’s
consciousness, and created intentional communities or communes. Peace and
love basic ideals.
Fashion
Flowers. Headbands. Long Hair. Mini skirts or long skirts for women. Chain
belts. Boots and go-go boots. Grungy jeans. Leather vests. Fringed vests,
jackets, pant and shirts. Peace symbol. Granny glasses. Afro hair. Combat
style vest and jackets. Leather sandals (although most of the times bare foot).
Colorful tie-dyed shirts. Peasant blouses. Tank tops.
Music
Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jerry
Garcia, The Who, The Doors, Janis Joplin, The beatles, Bob Dylan, The Roll-
ing Stones.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Personas
Ideology
PLURR
Peace - to make peace with all people around them
Love - to stay close to all people and care for them unconditionally
Unity - to stand together for the universal cause of peace and love
Respect - to understand the diversities of culture
Responsibility - to educate oneself on the effects of drugs before ingesting
them
Fashion
By far the most distinctive and purely rave fashion is ‘Candy’, which features
bright neon and uv sensitive clothing, fishnet garments, and multiple pieces of
brightly colored jewelry which is called candy. Many things remain unchanged
over the years such as the use of elaborate makeup and brightly colored cos-
tumes. Backpacks have also been prevalent in the culture from the beginning
and are used to carry children’s and infants toys, such as pacifiers, teething
rings, lights, glow sticks and vibrating objects. Colorful beaded bracelets are
another aspect of the rave image..
Music
All styles of electronic dance music. Some dj’s that pioneered the movement
are Kraftwerk, Goldie, Josh Wink, Sasha and John Digweed, Unkle, Under-
world, Nick Warren, Richie Hawtin.
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Ideology
Anti establishment. Complex system of ideas, values and concepts that reflect
newly emerging and ever-changing creative correlative expressive mecha-
nisms including but not limited to song, poetry, film and fashion. In the early
days, Hip-Hop was primarily related to the rhyming, rhythmic spoken word
art-form known as rapping. Rapping is, in fact, not a new method of creative
expression. The ease with which young people can participate in this form of
creativity seems to have helped the phenomenal growth of this genre of mu-
sic and expression. Gang culture. Sex. Exploitation of women. Every day life
struggle in ghettos and projects. Drugs. Crimes. Stereotypes. Peer pressure.
African American and Latino history. Invest in cars, cribs, expensive jewelry,
sneakers. Very materialistic subculture.
Fashion
Dress styles of thugs and prison inmates. Baggy pants. Black ink tattoos.
Bandanas. Low pants without belts. Shirt tails outside one’s pants. Sportswear.
Throwback jerseys. Platinum jewelry. Nike Dunks or Airforce One. Polo shirts
(popped collar). Biker chains. Decorated zip up hoodies. Trucker hats. Large
ornamental belt buckles. Timberland boots.
Music
Sean P. Diddy, 2Pac, Snoop Dog, Chingy, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Wu tang
Klan, Beastie Boys, Ice T, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Cypress Hill, Nas, Busta Rhymes,
Notorious Big.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Existing solutions
Nike ID revolutionized the way we all look at sneakers and how we buy them.
For years, Nike would make special color ways for basketball teams so that
all of the players could match. Nike even had special basketball shoes called
“Nike Team” shoes that would be released in as many as 18 color ways.
NikeID allowed the average Joe to create a custom Nike shoe. The NikeID site
would let you choose from different colors, materials, and would even allow
you to stitch on your name and/or number onto the shoe.
Nike ID has now moved beyond the shoe world and into other sport’s apparel
(shirts, bags, wristbands, even watches).
Pros
The phrase or name really makes each piece unique.
Adds a personal touch to an industrial product.
Price (only 10 dollars more expensive than regular items).
Cons
Only a few varieties of colors and textures to choose from. It is not really
customization but rather selecting a combination of pre-established ele
ments. .
Repetition is highly likely to happen.
Nike Town ID center: Only one located in manhattan; in a very wealthy
area as a matter of fact. Therefore, it is accessible only to a few rich
lucky New Yorkers. Moreover, it is really hard to get an appointment to
“customize” your sneakers.
No design involved.
No creative process involved (it really is about clicking buttons).
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Members of the Threadless community submit T-shirt designs online; the
designs are then put to a public vote. A small percentage of submitted designs
are selected for printing and sold through an online store. Creators of the win-
ning designs receive a prize of cash and store credit.
Pros
Challenges your creative skills.
Gives you the chance of spreading your ideas.
There is a total graphic freedom.
Money is rewarded to the owners of the selected designs.
Cons
Design is limited only to T-shirts (that have certain measurements).
You can only alter the graphic elements, not form or function.
Your design not always gets produced (really hard to win as a matter of
fact).
Idea of being judged doesn’t appeal to many people.
Winners are generally involved in the design field.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Existing solutions
My virtual model allows users to create a 3-D virtual model of themselves, and
use this model to try on clothing from participating apparel companies. With
this my virtual model users can mix and match clothing, and save their cre-
ations to a closet of favorite outfits. Then, that user’s friends can rate her outfit
ideas, helping her define her personal style. Once the user has decided that
she likes a certain article or outfit, she can click through our website to your or-
der page; or as they shop at the mall with their friends they will be able to refer
back to clothes they already know they want.
Pros
Provides you with the possibility of trying and combining things that you
would have never thought could look good on you.
Experience shifts from first person to third person, and allows you to
have a different perspective.
Cons
Only sponsored brands’ clothing are available .
Not full collections. Just a few items are exhibited.
It is not tested on your real body, but just computer models (with pretty
perfect bodies).
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Research Nature
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Research Other applications
computer customization blogger
cloning
do it youself engravings vinyl toys’ customization
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one-of-a-kind bags do-hit by droog pop-art dogs
facebook design contests readymade magazine/book (un) ready-mades
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Design direction Concepts
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Concept 1
Upload your own design directly from your computer to your OLED outfit.
Critique
Too much material that is not displaying the design.
How does the user design his/her outfit? Who is going to be capable of
doing so?
The user has to rely on a computer to change the design.
They have to conform to what they uploaded in the morning, just as it
happens when you are choosing what to wear for the rest of the day. It
is not really flexible to different situations and scenarios.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Design direction Concepts
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Concept 2
One suit that is made of hundreds of different square-shaped components that
react to sound. According to the sound wave created by several music genres
the components would color in such a way that they would screen a particular
design correspondent to that genre. For instance, in a Goth concert it would
display a certain design but at a rave a totally different one.
Critique
The user has no control. There is no freedom to modify the design other
than playing a certain type of music.
It might be too uncomfortable. What if it’s summer time?
Stereotypes every subculture by only making them look all the same.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Design direction Concepts
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Concept 3
This concept is based on the idea that all of us are unique individuals, a con-
ception that is scientifically proven through the DNA. Deoxyribonucleic acid,
present in our blood and hair, is commonly denoted with a formula based on
letters. What this product does is take that long mathematical calculus to turn
on and off the LED lights, creating patterns that are therefore individualized. No
one will have the same pattern unless they are part of our family obviously.
Critique
Once again, the user has no power to change his/her pattern.
The design might not be suitable for people with varied fashion tastes.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Design direction Revised criteria
“ The disembeddness of economies from the social world is having great impact on consumption problems. Consumption
solutions require economic activity to be openly democratic, actively participative, and reflective of its goals in order to
integrate social values, concerns and needs” - Tania Brienca
Clothes have meanings and ex-
User has to be able to self-express.
press ideas and emotions.
The consumer has to be able to
Emotions can be expressed
customize its own product.
through the use of color, referring to
The product has to allow creativity
what experts call color psychology.
and different outcomes.
Each particular color expresses
It has to be easy to use.
particular human emotions and
It has to be safe to use
talks about the personality of the
There has to be an added value
participant.
coming though the individualiza-
tion to counter the impersonality of
technological objects.
It has to make the user reflect on
our present mechanized way of liv-
ing.
It has to respond to the idea that we
want something that nobody else
has.
This product only has to be a pro-
vider of consumer freedom.
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Final product Concept
The final concept allows the user to
choose any color he or she wants.
Moreover, the touchscreen OLED
material permits them to draw all
kinds of symbolisms, text, or other
inscriptions that would be displayed
together with the chosen color
through the OLED and reset to
default conditions through a button.
The on-the-go feature lets them
make changes according to their
activities to best suit the activity or
experience they are going through
in a particular time of the day.
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Final product Form
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it’s up to you .
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Final product Features
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Final product Technology
cathode
emissive layer
conductive layer
anode
substrate
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Final product Features
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Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Final product Features
reset button
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Final product Scenarios
8:00 AM
Home
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Final product Scenarios
11:00 AM
Office
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Final product Scenarios
6:30 PM
Home
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008

Final product Scenarios
9:00 PM
Concert
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it’s up to you .
Bibliography
Books
Subculture, the meaning of style by Dick Hebdige
Fashionable Technology by Sabine Seymour
Fashioning the Future by Suzanne Lee
Techno Textiles by Sarah E. Braddock
Websites
core77.com
moondial.com
husseinchalayan.com
lonesigurdsson.com/webcontent/fash.html
tribecaisseymiyake.com
nanogirl.com
nikeid.nike.com
threadless.com
mvm.com
arihiromiyake.com
facebook.com
dell.com
sweethome3d.sourceforge.net
topsider.com
readymademag.com
gtwm.gtech.edu
tjep.com
Juan Garcia Mosqueda . Mass Customization . Parsons The New School for Design . Professor Robert Rabinovitz . Summer Intensive Studies 2008