Skinbags (bags made from human skin)

Status: Real bags (but not really made from skin)
image The front page of the skinbags site advertises that skinbags are "Organic objects, in synthetic human skin." That description isn't as clear as it could be, and could easily be misread to suggest that skinbags are actually made from human skin. Much of the rest of the site plays up this ambiguity. You come across passages such as this:

What is it? Could it be human skin? One asks oneself, reaching out a hand in an attempt to touch it : a reflexive gesture. This is what is fascinating – like a game made to scare oneself.

But don't worry. It's not really human skin. Skinbags (as you learn if you search around the site a bit) are latex designed to look and feel like skin. They're made by Olivier Goulet. The skinbag line includes purses, handbags, jackets, overalls, and laptop carriers. It looks like they all have to be special ordered. You won't find skinbags down at The Gap. (Thanks to Timothy Hunter for the link)

Body Manipulation Gross

Posted on Mon Feb 20, 2006


Comments

I don't want to know who these are marketed toward...
Posted by hcmomof4  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  12:19 AM
You know... the amount of tasteless jokes that could be made concerning 'bags of skin'...

If they made change purses...
Posted by Bobcat  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  01:15 AM
Hmmm, yuk.
Posted by outeast  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  02:55 AM
All that effort for something that's really ugly! Sheesh. If someone were that attached to the "human skin" look, why not make the thing *attractive* human skin, not something that looks like dried-out roast chicken?
Posted by cvirtue  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  05:18 AM
It's art ... no real product. Click "Concept", scroll down and click "other works of O.Goulet": http://goulet.free.fr/
Posted by Henri  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  09:15 AM
not ambiguous at all..."synthetic human skin" reads "fake"
at any rate, EW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by thephrog  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  11:37 AM
Mmmmm ... skin. As a member of the canadian cannibal society, I love this product! *winks at non-existant camera*
Posted by Dracul  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  01:19 PM
There was a big news story in the Boston Glove a while back about books that are bound in human skin; several libraries own such books.

"The Boston Athenaeum, a private library, has an 1837 copy of George Walton's memoirs bound in his own skin. Walton was a highwayman - a robber who specialized in ambushing travelers - and left the volume to one of his victims." says the report. What a lovely thought.

I know from my past employment that "cow top" is thick and hardwearing and "cow split" is thinner and used for things that see less wear. Books are therefore probably bound in "man split".

Uncle Frank in Hellraiser was not bound in anything at all.
Posted by Ashley Pomeroy  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  02:01 PM
The Boston Glove! I'm sorry, that should be Boston Globe. I was thinking of scrotums. And globes. And gloves.
Posted by Ashley Pomeroy  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  02:03 PM
Well now you can buy a hand bag made out of fake skin for your fake girlfriend from realdoll
Posted by Lonewatchman  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  03:30 PM
"What is it? Could it be human skin? One asks oneself"

That's not the first thought I would have apon seeing that. I'd think it was meat but I would hardly wonder if it was human.

"reaching out a hand in an attempt to touch it : a reflexive gesture."

Hell no. More like walk away in disgust.
Posted by Reynard Muldrake  on  Tue Feb 21, 2006  at  04:56 PM
What, no tattoos?
Posted by Big Gary, on another quail hunt  on  Thu Feb 23, 2006  at  11:54 AM
More conventional uses for skin include lampshades, gloves, and uholstery. I'm reminded of "The Histories" by Herodotus (circa 450 B.C.): "Otanes' father Sisamnes had been put to death by Cambyses [one of the kings of Persia]: he was one of the royal judges, and as a punishment for taking a bribe and perverting justice Cambyses had him flayed; all his skin was torn off and cut into strips, and the strips stretced across the seat of the chair which he used to sit on in Court. Cambyses then appointed his son [Otanes] to be judge in his place, and told him not to forget what his chair was made of, when he gave his judgements. ..."
Posted by Big Gary, starting to scratch  on  Wed Mar 01, 2006  at  04:52 PM
to tell you the truth...im really impressed, bags that are made of what looks like human skin.

This gives me an idea...*grins*

hahah, don't mind me, im so weird.
Posted by Eva  on  Tue Mar 07, 2006  at  05:47 PM
Hmmm....I wonder if you made a wallet out of a penis, could you stroke it a few times and end up with a handbag?
Posted by Lounge Lizard  on  Mon Jul 17, 2006  at  02:15 PM
if it
Posted by nitedrive  on  Mon Jul 31, 2006  at  04:44 PM
its the same as wearing leather. people are disgusted by this but will wear the dead carcass of another being happily... weird huh...?
Posted by holycow  on  Sat Aug 15, 2009  at  12:59 AM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.