Dressed (Not) to Kill: Teddy Bear Coat
When you hear the words “fur coat,” what comes to mind is probably some combination of Cruella de Vil, PETA and a can of red paint. A longtime target of animal rights activists, the fur coat is a potent symbol of excess. When it comes to high fashion (as opposed to, say, people wearing them out of necessity in freezing cold Arctic climates), fur coats are usually worn to exude an air of glamor. But what happens when you switch out the pelts of real animals for the fuzzy bodies of plush teddy bears?
However you interpret it specifically, it is hard not to find some kind of (albeit humorous) commentary on animal cruelty, modeling or at least fashion in general within this strange stuffed-animal coat design.
Chilean-born artist Sebastian Errazuriz is no stranger to controversy when it comes to clothing design, nor to putting his strange fashions on models in sexy situations and semi-erotic poses. This particular work of art, however, has more humor than most.
Whether you want to look at this jacket as a commentary on the state of the fashion industry, animal rights activism or simply as an attempt at humor, the designer works with an awareness of his work’s context that informs not only the designs themselves but also the way he frames, photographs and presents them. Eat your (stuffed) heart out, fickle world of contemporary fashion.
Errazuriz is best known for his outside-the-box furniture creations, like cabinets that seem to explode when you pull on their drawers, but his body of work is quite eclectic — as you can see here.
“Artist, Designer and Activist Sebastian Errazuriz has received international acclaim for his original and provocative works on a variety of areas and disciplines. Tackling everything from political artworks to giant public art projects, experimental furniture to product design and women’s shoes to motorcycles. His work is always surprising and compelling, inviting the viewer to look again at realities that were often hidden in front of their own eyes. “
