Twenty-year-old Kotryna Manukian from the Vilnius Academy of Arts explores the meaning of existence, identity, and the human condition in her project W1R3D::IN. Her design is less a garment and more a philosophical experiment in fabric and light – a reflection on the cycle of life, on adaptation, resistance, and the search for freedom.
The starting point was a personal exploration of the question of whether life has a higher purpose or simply repeats itself in an endless rhythm of birth and death. Kotryna Manukian translates this feeling of confinement into an aesthetic language of technology.
“I wanted to show that sometimes there is no way out until we realize that we can change our own perspective,” she explains.
The first garment served as a prototype, enabling the development and realization of the next version of the project. Her outfit integrates several key elements – ESP32, Arduino, LEDs, and sensors. The jacket is equipped with sensors that react to the wearer’s heartbeat – the light pulsates in the rhythm of life itself.
The body thus becomes a measuring instrument of existence, fashion an extension of human vitality. In a resting state, the lights emit a steady, stable glow. As soon as the sensor is attached to the ear, they begin to react directly to the wearer’s heartbeat – pulsating in perfect harmony with the rhythm of life.
For the technical implementation, Kotryna Manukian combines electronics, sensor technology, and interactive technology. The goal is to create a direct emotional interaction between clothing and wearer – fashion that reacts to sensations, making them visible and amplifying them. W1R3D::IN is a poetic balance between technology and spirituality.
