the tallest man 05
human touch / humor / poetic / extreme
awards:
_droog design t-shirt competition 2005 (netherlands), winner
_i.d. magazine, 53rd annual design review 2007 (usa), consumer products, honorable mention
_part of the droog design collection
inspired by the tallest man ever–standing at 2.72m–we decided to design an adjustable t-shirt as long as the tallest man. the t-shirt–also functioning as a fashionable dress–has 4cm increments allowing height measurement of other objects. these increments are also incisions so that the fabric of the t-shirt can be rolled up and tied together at different heights.
the design is driven by the concept. at first glance it looks very unpractical but it has a charming story and can be understood as an homage to the tallest man. as an icon for human conditions ‘the human touch’ it expresses the core values of the client droog design. aesthetically, the design reflects simplicity, and symmetry. the printed measurement follows the idea of a perfect, endless order. that’s how the t-shirt makes a difference.
“the jurors indulged in a break from practicality when reviewing the tallest man t-shirt. … in their submission form, the designers insist the garment isn’t purely whimsical, pointing out that block-printed lines along the side can be used to measure the height of other objects. priestman wasn’t sold: ‘so, it’s a very long t-shirt with some dimensions on it,’ he declared. But the joke won out: ‘not everything has to be serious and functional,’ declared hales.” i.d. magazine, 53rd annual design review 2007, p.92 (usa).