Ethnographic research
My object user: my housemate
My reimaged object: a jeans
Object image
My housemate has pretty flare jeans but it’s old and short for her. Her best friend bought it last year for her birthday but this year she is taller and she no longer fits in that pair of jeans. As it’s a really nice, high-quality pair of jeans. I haven’t seen her wearing the jean before, but I can imagine that when she was younger, the jean fits her really well, the leg opening was at her ankle, but now, the leg opening is about 5-6cm above her ankle, the normal flare jeans now become cropped flare jeans. Especially, when she styles with crop-tops or cropped tank top, it doesn’t suit her and makes her looks imbalanced, and she really doesn’t like jeans that is above the ankle. In order to make her reuse this item and protect the environment.
I will redesign it as I come up with ideas to redesign it for a wide range of usage.
Object inventory
Here is the image of all the things she touches in a day. My housemate like wearing denim, she always wears jeans and sometimes she wears her denim jacket. She like denim clothes because they are durable, comfortable, and suitable for all seasons. Whenever she hangs out, she carries a tote bag and her choice of footwear is always sneakers. She is a K-pop stan. Her hobby is collecting albums and photocards (in the mini albums), and listening to K-pop songs. As I researched, the current trend in the K-Pop industry is the comeback of Y2K fashion but it is modernised Y2K, there are subtle differences. My housemate is inspired by K-Pop idols' fashions and styles, she loves the Y2K trends, especially the micro-mini skirt, combine with a long flare denim leg warmer. Moreover, hair accessories such as mini colourful star hairpins and lipsticks are indispensable in her daily life.
My housemate is also a self-care person. She enjoys doing makeup and skincare, she bought a lot of products such as sunscreen, lips care, lipstick, facial lotion, etc. However, she is sometimes quite careless, and she easily forgets tiny things for example, keys, lipsticks, opal cards, glasses, accessories, etc. as she cannot organise them in a particular way. There is not enough space to place these products on the shelf, sometimes, she has to place them on her bed or desk, which is inconvenient as they might be dropped off the floor and disappear, she has lost tracking them many times and had to spend time to find them.
Ideation sketches
The jeans that I am about to redesign is one of her favourite jeans, and I also find it pretty, the colour and the shape my housemate doesn’t want to throw it away but cannot keep it in the closet. Hence, these are the ideas that I can use this jeans for other usages.
From jeans, I can reimagine it into these items (respectively from left to right)
1. 2 separated bottom wear: a mini skirt with a leg warmer
The jean can turn into two separate items for bottom wear, by using a scissor to cut an exact line. The image of a mini skirt recalls the Y2K style and the separated top sides are used like a flare leg warmer, which not only keeps warm but is also fashionable and totally her taste.
2. Short
The flare jeans can be cut into a short which is a new way to wear it
3.Hang organiser
Redesign the jeans by using 2 top sides and almost all parts of the jean. The hanging organiser is what I think my housemate will need, as she can fully ultilise a jean to help her organise all the tiny things or items that she always spends time looking for. Hang organiser enables her to keep everything tidy up and organised, she can put her key, lipsticks, opal card, glasses, or even pocket notebook. The hanging organiser can be hung on the door, so whenever she goes out, she will remember what to bring. This can be a life-changing item for careless person like her. Additionally, a denim hang organiser is such unique and the material used is durable and long-lasting
4. Makeup pouch
Makeup pouch is portable and convenient. The denim material can protect makeup products from broken when she drops on the floor or being impacted with laptop or ipad in the bag. Moreover, the pouch is stylish and unique, which matches mostly her outfit
5. Wallet phone case
A denim phone case with a cardholder is a great combination because it is handy as she can carry both phone and cards, minimise the chance of her forgetting important things as now they are all together. The wallet phone case is fashionable and trendy when the rise time of the Y2K style comeback. The phone case comes with a front cover flap, which is multi-functional, as it protects the screen from scratches and stores cards at the same time. Lastly, the strap is added to act as a lock, close up the case, and increase protection for her valuables.
6. Denim tote bag
My housemate often use a tote bag not only when she goes to school but also hangs out. She has been using it for so long time, and I think she should change to another one. This bag is bigger hence it is more spacious to contain a laptop, iPad, bottle, books, etc. She can decorate the bag with some sticker patches. With her creativity, the bag will turn out pretty and aesthetic. Once again, this item suits her well and will be a nice accessory compatible with her ideal style.
Collages
Final collage
Interview
In order to understand the connection between my housemate and her jean, I asked my housemate some questions about the object, based on the key points of needs, capabilities, behaviours, tastes, and feelings
1. How did you have it?
2. How often you do you wear it?
3. Do you have any similar jeans?
4. Do you find any difficulties/discomfort with it? If yes, in what way it could be fixed to meet your satisfaction?
5. Does it affect your daily activities?
6. Do you like it? Rate on a scale of 10 and explain
7. Is it a nice pair of jeans for you?
8. Do you love wearing these jeans?
9. Please share with me your feelings when you see it.
Result
My housemate was gifted this pair of jeans by her best friend on her 16th birthday. She extremely loved it and since then, she didn’t wear it often, only for occasions such as whenever she hung out with her best friend or attended events at school, she also usually styled it with a denim jacket. At that time, Y2K styles started to be brought back, and there was the rise of double denim when people style a denim top with a denim bottom, mostly baggy jeans. Hence, there were only baggy and boyfriend jeans available in shops and malls, and it was rare that there would be a pair of jeans that suited her perfectly and beautifully, even online shopping. Thus, it was the right timing that my housemate enjoyed that period of time. However, she feels pity when she becomes taller as now she is no longer fit in that jean. The open leg is above her ankle, she does not know why but she feels shame wearing it. She tried to get a tailor to fix the pants become longer but it did not work out. Then, she kept it inside the closet, in a little corner. In addition, when she was able to wear it, it was comfortable and light as the jean was bodycon but not tight, she could walk, run and dance. To her, the pair of jeans is the best present that she could ask for and it reminds her of her best friend when they are not around. Overall, she put 9.5/10 for the jean.
I could see that the jeans is such meaningful to her.
VIDEO
