If you think sitting through the waxing appointment is painful; if you think period cramps are the worst; if you think there’s no pain worse than stubbing your toe, wait until you see the pictures of the duct-tape bikini. That’s right! Duct-tape bikinis are officially a thing now, all thanks to the Miami-based swimwear designer and photographer Joel Alvarez of the Black Tape Project. His designs are effectively made up of a strip of inch-wide tape covering the nipple and crotch (ouch) area.
Recently at Coachella, metallic duct-tape bikinis made an appearance and the daring new trend shocked everyone, courtesy the barely-there designs. Hundreds of women arrived at the music festival in California wearing nothing but duct tape.
Also Read Abpout Coachella Outfit Ideas
Source: Instagram
These stick-on bikinis may have left little (read barely anything) to the imagination, but taking these off looks like the worst kind of pain imaginable. Have a look:
Images: Instagram
“One day in 2008 I was a rookie photographer who was working with a model that suggested I use electrical tape (on) her for the last look. I honestly had no idea why she would want this but to make her happy I attempted to use this tape as wardrobe. However, it sparked an idea in my head to develop this idea. In the following weeks, I asked a few models that I had worked with in the past to let me practice on them. That was the moment the designs started to evolve! Although primitive with a lot of trial and error, I remember thinking I was definitely on to something. I began to notice that the way the lines of tape would compliment the figure was unlike any wardrobe or fashion out there,” said Joel talking about his Eureka moment.
At the Miami Swim Week in July last year, models walked the ramp for the fashion brand to display the designer’s experimental style. Well, we don’t need no experiment to give the inference – Hell No! As if wearing a bikini in India wasn’t ‘breaking news’ enough! Here are some pictures from the fashion week.
Each of these colourful, metallic body tapes cost between Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,400. We are wondering how does one even swim in these? Won’t the adhesive wear off over prolonged contact with water? Also, how do you finally take them off? Just hurts thinking about it all.
It all started with Joel finding cash when he needed it most. “In 2008 I was living in my car, struggling to feed myself, lost my phone and basically ran out of gas in my car and in my life, most definitely the lowest point of my existence. I was lucky to find a box hidden in my late grandfather’s house with a substantial amount of money. After many years of what I considered “the thought era” in my life, I quickly put the funds to work in hopes to correct my debts and life. With the last of the $1500 I purchased a camera and 10 years later here I am,” said Joel.
Coachella has come and gone, but the question remains – why is the trend only practised on female models? While most of the fashion trends are showcased on both female and male models globally (in fact, we have men walking ramps in sarees now), so why no men in these duct-tape swimwear? Secondly, duct-tapes are symbolising bondage. Whether in a sexual connotation or non-sexual, bondage refers to exploitation, subservience, and slavery. How can something so wrong be glamourised and called ‘fashion’?
Do we have room for the duct-tape in our closet? You tell us.
Images: The Sun
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