KAITLYN J. KIM

This bag is a form exploration that incorporates biophilic concepts. Biophilic design is a methodology typically applied to buildings and landscapes that nurtures the relationship between people and nature. It explores the healing and calming properties of nature and proposes that humans are innately connected to it. By integrating different forms of natural mimicry through surface manipulation of fabric, I was able to create a bag that carries a soothing, calming energy. In a digital world of constant stimulation, this bag is intended as a call to go outside, to retreat, and to reconnect with nature.

The underbellies of mushrooms, the pleats of ginkgo leaves, and the texture of tree bark strongly influenced the visual language of my bag, informing both its form and color palette. In my initial sketches, I explored the idea of transformation, experimenting with how the bag might shift in structure. From the outset, I wanted it to have a relaxed form as I developed the concept of biophilia, playing with texture and possible color schemes.

Prototyping different forms was an essential step as I experimented with various techniques and patterns to create a three-dimensional structure with strength and body.