The State of Skins

In the last few months  I've seen a few blips in the echosphere that I found quite entertaining as well as something to think about.

I guess it was in the fall when I saw something about a leather covered Ferrari.  Cool idea,  lots of negative comments.   Regarding:  cleaning, scratching, water, etc.etc. etc.   (with a couple of smart people saying if it's leather, water shouldn't be a problem- cows live outside and get wet- no big deal-they are on it!)

foiled "leather" car

That is if it were REAL leather. Nah- it's not,  it's basically a fancy decal. and a poor one at that- weird grain, with poor and very visible repeat (ask a textile designer) even in far shots. Nice idea,  poor execution.

My fantasy is that one day they could build that prototype car that had the movable skin- remember that? Was that about 2-3 years ago?  The skin would be LEATHER...that's my fantasy. 

fantasy leather car

Stretch leather today is not quite there.  It's one way stretch and not quite enough return.  I saw stretch "leather" goods out of China a while back that stretched equally 2 ways!  (real leather does not quite do that!)  It was leather - but weirdly re-constituted.  The effect was that of Cher's face -no offense to Cher - but we are talking leather here- so what I want is REAL.  Maybe 15 years ago I saw a US (Washington State?) tannery making washable  skins that could stretch like that, if you ordered that finish.  No Lycra backing, Where are they now???

I hate to think of the chemicals and effort that went into creating that weird leather perfection from China.  But I guess if I were into weird leather perfection,  I'd be into latex.

...my fetish, my talisman is cut.

The State of Skins