Always Wear Protection

Designs for the fashion- and safety-conscious

October 31, 2005—When "fashion" and "disaster" are used in the same sentence, it's usually in reference to, say, something Ryan Seacrest is wearing. But "Safe: Design Takes on Risk," a timely new exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, shows that the connection can run much deeper than that. While the artifacts on display range from inflatable shelters to a "Shag Bag Intimacy Kit," the highlight for those who value style as much as safety is a small selection of items from cult clothing label Final Home. Created by Issey Miyake protégé Kosuke Tsumura in the mid-nineties, the Japanese line was conceived—presciently, given these increasingly anxious times—with survival and protection in mind. Naturally it quickly became a favorite of fashion stylists. Previously hard to find, Tsumura's greatest hits are now on sale at the MoMA store through January. The most striking of these is his 24-pocket nylon coat (left), a sleek 1995 design meant to be stuffed with newspapers or leaves for warmth. Originally intended for Tokyo's homeless, the $215 jacket gives new meaning to that overworked cliché "stylish but practical."




Final Home Collection, $22-$215, momastore.org. "Safe: Design Takes on Risk" at the Museum of Modern Art through Jan. 22, moma.org.