Aya Tsukioka

by Sam Reeve

After discovering the ridiculous art of Chindogu earlier this week, I developed a serious obsession with weird Japanese stuff. This has led me to many places on the internet, both good and bad, including to the wonderful artist and fashion designer Aya Tsukioka.

Pictured here is her most famous design, the urban camouflage skirt that can transform the wearer into a vending machine. The skirt, along with some of her other urban camouflage clothes and accessories, were designed with street crime in mind – something she says a typical Japanese person would want to flee from, rather than fight. Tsukioka was inspired by the ninja, who would hide at night using black clothes or blankets.

I’ve scoured high and low for a website where these skirts can be purchased, but have had no luck so far.

Besides the skirt, Aya Tsukioka has also designed a backpack for kids that turns them into a mailbox, a purse that looks like a manhole cover, and other kinds of vending machine skirts and accessories.

I don’t read Japanese so I can’t comment on the content, but if you do or just care to take a look, here is her website and her twitter.