Wearable neon light tubes look set to become the fashion statement of the season.
Ever since cult sci-fi film Blade Runner captivated audiences in 1982 with its futuristic, neon-lit setting, people from around the world have been comparing the look of the movie to Tokyo, as the closest thing yet to a cyberpunk world filled with bright lights and futuristic technology.
Some of the best places in Tokyo to get that cyberpunk feel are Shinjuku and Akihabara, where walls of lights and multi-storey tech stores vie for your attention. The only thing missing from the landscape is people dressed in futuristic gear, but one cyber head is here to help with that, creating a new look that fits in with the lights of the city, in the form of a “backpack” containing a neon sign.
Its designer, Twitter user Tanago, who proudly calls herself a “Cyber Mum,” shared photos of the stunning creation online, saying she’s become “the first person to carry a real neon tube on their back“. And she may well be right, as it’s something we certainly haven’t seen on the streets of Tokyo before, and believe us, we’ve seen a lot.
▼ Tanago modelling the look on the streets of Akihabara.
There are so many neat details to this look, starting with the neon tubing itself, which has been crafted to read “電脳” (“denno“). Made up of two kanji – the first one represents “lightning bolt” and the second represents “brain” — denno can be read as “cyberbrain“, and is the name given to cyberbrains seen in the Ghost in the Shell series.
▼ Tanago created a variety of design options before settling on the final look seen above.
▼ Flowers with an oval shape…
▼ …flowers with bars…
▼ … and flowers with Mt Fuji and the rising sun.
The making of the final product was a time-consuming process, as this making-of video shows manufacturer Aoi Neon carefully bending the neon tube to perfectly match up with the kanji shown on the design.
▼ In addition to the neon sign, Tanago has the word “Denno” lit up on her visor as well.
▼ And can we take a moment to admire the brightly lit “emergency” mask and green cyberpunk yukata kimono she’s wearing?
▼ We’d love to see Trinity rock this look in The Matrix 4
▼ When it’s not being used, the neon sign acts as a gorgeous light indoors.
When worn with her cyber yukata, the way the neon sign sits on her back makes it look like a futuristic obi sash.
Tanago is no stranger to cool obi, as she made a fantastic “Gaming Obi” for this year’s Maker Faire Tokyo, a “showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness” celebrating makers and their awesome creations.
▼ Tanago says she made the futuristic-looking obi with computer fans and lighting.
As a “Cyber Mum”, cyberpunk cool is part of Tanago’s everyday. Here she is bringing light to the streets, quite literally, even in the daylight hours.
And here she is turning heads in Tokyo with her bright red kimono and matching bicycle.
▼ Akira, eat your heart out.
So next time you’re out and about in Tokyo, be sure to keep an eye out for Tanago lighting up the streets with her head-turning cyberpunk fashion. You can also keep up-to-date with her new designs and developments on her blog and Twitter account.
And if you want more neon in your life, you can always eat it, if you dare, with this brightly lit bowl of udon noodles created by a Japanese scientist.
Source: Twitter/@/1_design via Net Lab
Featured image: Twitter/@/1_design
Insert images: Twitter/@/1_design
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