This spiked vest invented by Siew Ming Cheng gives you more personal space while riding on the subway or other pubic transportation vehicle. The Spike Away is made from flexible green spiky plastic.
The industrial designer was inspired by her crowded commute on Singapore trains while she was an undergraduate student at the National University of Singapore. The vest was her homework from a school workshop held by German furniture designer Werner Aisslinger.
The spiky fashion statement is considered a 'chindogu,' a Japanese term for a almost useless invention intended to solve a mundane problem. For regular participants in public transportation, constant violations of personal space during rush hour can hardly seem mundane. While the plastic spiked garment is unlikely to cause real bodily harm, the reaction of others in transit might not be favorable.
Space-Creating Subway Styles
The Spike Away Gives Public Transit Riders More Personal Space
Trend Themes
1. Personal-space Innovation - Innovations that focus on personal-space and reducing individuals' stress levels while commuting.
2. Fashionable Convenience - Highly functional garment-wear that also doubles as a fashion statement.
3. Everyday Solutions - Innovations that solves mundane problems encountered in day-to-day life.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Industry - The fashion industry should consider expanding into fashionable commuter-wear that serves a functional purpose.
2. Public Transportation Industry - The public transportation industry can explore ways to improve the commuting experience and give commuters more personal space.
3. Design Industry - The design industry can capitalize on unique and quirky ideas such as 'chindogu' and explore their application to solve mundane problems faced by individuals.