Via the bookofjoe blog we found the work of designer Diddo Velema who exhibits a mildly dark sense of humor we can appreciate. Above are a pair of wetsuits from a collection that will surely stand out when riding a narly wave, and to the right you see a gas mask that would find itself at home at a Fifth Avenue storefront.
Here’s more from Diddo Velema about the wetsuits:
Wetsuits are both functional and protective, but why must they all look the same?
Is there some unwritten law that dictates we shed our individuality to blend into the monotone waters? Not to challenge Mother Nature’s art direction but it’s high time for a change.
With that in mind, I took up the challenge to create an alternative. With custom inks and unique printing techniques, I was able to map textures onto the suits to create original designs that evoke the mysteries of the seas.
The first edition contains four original designs: a rusted iron diving suit evoking the days of Jules Verne, the anatomic musculature suit as a homage to our inner strength, a wet suit which gives the illusion that the wearer has been attacked by a group of hungry sharks and finally a whale shark patterned suit that celebrates the brilliance and originality of our natural water world.
More from Diddo Velema, including an interesting AIDS awareness raising project in conjunction with Levi’s jeans.
(hat tip: bookofjoe)