“Humans are the only species capable of destroying themselves while still alive – and for most of human history, we have done so.”
—Ayn Rand, excerpted from The Virtue of Selfishness
The progress of human civilization has never stopped moving forward since ancient times.We use the power of technology to promote progress and create civilization, and we also use technology to describe and realize dreams; we think about the past, create the present, gaze at the future, and imagine where the tide of history will send us. The panic caused by the unpredictability of the development of artificial intelligence, the raging super virus, the endless wars… endless problems emerge one after another.
Globalization prevents us from collapsing in isolation, and any society in turmoil will have an impact on other prosperous societies – we are a community of destiny.Stefan Zweig wrote “When the Stars of Humanity Shine”, praising the magnificence and bravery of human beings when they decide the direction of history, but never thought that one day human beings will no longer see the stars above their heads.
If “A post-apocalyptic Anthropocene” (A post-apocalyptic Anthropocene) comes. Where should we go, where can we find comfort?
Inspired by the post-apocalyptic fantasy, designer Anna Yang continued the concept of “post-humanity” in the past, with the theme of “post-apocalypse apocalypse”, swaying post-apocalyptic scenes in the ANNAKIKI 2023 autumn and winter series, imagine how human beings gather in groups and support each other. She incorporates elements of cyberpunk and wasteland punk into her imaginative futuristic style, imagines when modern civilization is destroyed, and explores how human beings can learn to survive and find themselves in the ruins.
“If the storm that heralds the end of the world sweeps across the world, what will it leave us? And what will it take away? After the doomsday catastrophe, will the civilized world become endless ruins? The world is ruined and devastated. Trapped in humanity and morality, struggling to survive. Where will we go, where will we return, and how can we rebuild the world?”
Chaos means the beginning of a new round of order and civilization. Even in a hypothetical post-apocalyptic world, “post-humanity” still evokes exhilarating desires to shed some old constraints and open up new ways of thinking about what it means to be human.
Anna Yang has optimistic expectations for “post-humanity”, and believes that even if the world is destroyed and utopia becomes an isolated island full of fear, anxiety, and despair, she is still full of hope for human beings, “We will eventually establish order in chaos.”
Some scholars describe “post-human” as “evolved human” or “transhuman”, speculating that TA will surpass the form and ability of current human beings.Inspired by this, Anna Yang created a future protective armor for “post-humans”: The combination of the iconic wavy sleeve shape and the composite metal fabric creates an avant-garde upright silhouette, giving many possibilities to change the shape of the body;
The brand’s consistent liquid metal fabrics endow the fabric with more imaginative space and fantasy luster, just like the armor of futuristic soldiers; deliberately burned fabrics, dirty fabrics, old washed denim and hand-painted dirty Printing is based on her imagination and description of the dystopian world environment;
The wasteland style windproof sand hood, the old and mottled denim handbag, the mask inspired by the self-protection of human beings living in the harsh post-apocalyptic environment, and the clothing details wrapped by many functional elements are all like AnnaYang Created a rebellious, fearless and courageous human resistance army in the post-apocalyptic era—TThe object of their resistance is not only the harsh end-time environment, but also the artificial intelligence that was once created by human beings as a creator but has self-awareness under the savage birth of technology.
It is worth mentioning that this season AnnaYang collaborated with the Italian accessories brand anGostura, which often draws inspiration from ancient occultism and ancient aboriginal culture to create “body sculptures”.
In addition to the classic metal body accessories, anGostura specially created unique glass and metal earrings for ANNAKIKI’s post-human legion – when the bright and fragile glass is integrated with the hard metal, it is like the natural portrayal of human beings struggling in crisis: Fragile yet indestructible.
Anna Yang said: “When human beings no longer do indifferent interests, the purpose of desire and the only purpose is survival. At that time, we will give up egoism and gather together to fight against the unknown and turbulent world.”
In 1776, Thomas Paine said: “We have it in our power to begin the world again.” (We have it in our power to begin the world again.) A thousand years later, we still do.