Constructing Customized Clothing

Levi's® Japan is reaching out to those tattooed to the max by customizing a laser etching on their jeans. Levi’s suggests in their new ad campaign that they are providing more artistic space to all, especially the tattooed community.

Picture courtsey of The Commercial Archive

Photographer Simon Harsent has worked with the Tokyo based company to cover the campaign called Need More Space?

In looking at some of Harsent’s photos, some of the tattoos don’t quite look real.
So do you think
• They found models/actors with tattoos
• Or they picked the perfect models/actors and painted what they wanted?

My vote is on the latter…

If I’m correct, that could be quite offensive. I mean, wouldn’t that be adding to the stigma of tattooed people being criminals and outcasts?

Despite their approach, I think that clothing customization is an awesome idea. I too am having some personalizations done.

A friend does paintings and clothing customization with airbrushes. He offered to do some work for me and we are in the process of designing some roses on the leg of my jeans and a spongebob squarepants tee shirt. Yay!



One last key thing to mention, I am in the process of creating a social network, it will be like a Myspace or Facebook for the tattooed and the pierced. I want to get stories, pictures, reactions and most importantly communication! This will become key to my final project for my COMM 361 class.


COMING UP: First visit to a local tattoo and piercing shop, Marlowe Ink in Fairfax, Va. Check back for pics, comments and interviews!