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What if damage wasn’t a flaw, but proof that something survived?
For the FLORA × The Met challenge, I started with an 18th-century shot-proof breastplate from The Met’s archive — a piece deliberately fired at to prove its strength.
I reimagined that same logic as PROOF, a protective vest for skateboarders.
Instead of hiding wear, the vest is designed to record it. As the outer black fabric tears through impact, different coloured layers are exposed depending on the depth of the damage.
Every fall leaves evidence.
Every scar becomes part of the object.
And even if thousands were manufactured, continued use would eventually make every vest one of one.
The original armor was damaged once to prove it could survive.
PROOF proves itself every time it survives.
I built and explored the full concept in FLORA, from the original museum piece and material studies to the final system, imagery and presentation.
I also recorded a full process walkthrough covering why I chose the piece, the concept behind the damage system, my iterations, models, and the FLORA canvas.
My submission for the FLORA × The Met Challenge.
Such a smart way to turn damage into identity. The idea that every fall leaves proof, and eventually makes each vest one of one, is so strong. Really beautiful concept and execution. 👏
Thank you so much Gülfem, really glad you liked it!
This is such a strong example of turning damage into a design language rather than something to hide. I especially love the idea that every impact permanently changes the vest, meaning the object slowly becomes a record of its own survival. The connection between the historical...
Thank you so much Mustafa! I am glad to hear yo liked.
The way each impact becomes both function and visual record is powerful. Love how faithfully PROOF carries the breastplate's original logic into something contemporary.
Thank you! that continuity was central to the idea. I wanted protection to become an archive: the original recorded a single proof of resistance, while PROOF records every impact over time.
Loved the though process 👏
Thank you so much Subhradip
Turning impact depth into a visible colour system is the strongest move here. It makes damage measurable, personal, and impossible to fake. The connection to the original proof mark is especially clean. I’d love to see the vest age across 100 falls as a time-lapse.
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