by Kirin Rinehart


Pins and needles may be an integral element of most garment construction, but for Japanese artist Rie Hosokai, the pointy tools could leave her designs coming up flat, literally. You see, Hosokai deftly twists and manipulates balloons—yes, that’s right, balloons—into statement dresses that are far removed from the latex animals you see at kids’ birthday parties. So why the toy inflatables? “There are latitude and longitude balloons to be woven together, so it’s quite similar to fabric”, she told Reuters last week.


AIR SUPPLY
Hosokai constructs each piece by hand, but she admits it can be difficult to account for the amount of air when managing the size and volume of her dresses. Although the materials are inexpensive—about 9 cents per balloon—each featherweight (and biodegradable) creation carries a hefty price tag ranging from $1,930 to $3,860.
Although the materials are inexpensive, each featherweight creation carries a hefty price tag ranging from $1,930 to $3,860.
Hosokai began her career as a florist before venturing into the world of balloon art and starting her own company, Daisy Balloon. With her recent win at Belgium’s annual “Millennium Jam” balloon festival and over 20 wedding dresses sold since Daisy Balloon launched two years ago, it’s clear that Hosokai’s unique take on fashion is taking off—so long as she steers clear of sharp objects, that is.
(Source: www.ecouterre.com )