Nelson Wah

EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL. Anybody can be a fashion model. Never mind having a perfect figure or fitting in with today's perceptions of beauty. If we all had the right stylists, runway haute couture clothing tailored to fit, and fashion photographers, we could all be transformed into a stunning work of art on the runway and on print. What if we could create a place where anybody could experience high fashion? The MORETTA ecosystem is fueled by interactions between the visitors, MORETTA's fashion designers, and the design of MORETTA hotel itself. Designers are up and coming talents waiting to be discovered. They draw inspiration from MORETTA's theme, and are asked to create their own modern interpretations of the Venetian Carnival. Visitors can then shop and rent those creations and work with the designers, tailors, hairstylists, makeup professionals, and photographers to bring it all together. MORETTA is haute couture within reach.

I began rough explorations of concepts for the hotel. Some key concepts: - Every Room A Photo Stage. No need for selfies. Photographers are everywhere, and everywhere is the perfect place for a photo. Every room in MORETTA would be designed richly as if they were photo stages. - Masquerades. Grand social events and a fashion spectacle. The hotel becomes a cutting-edge fashion microcosm.

I did not design the entire hotel from the inside out, as that would probably require a whole team of architects and designers. As an industrial designer I focused on designing one product in the hotel that would embody my concept. I chose to design a clothing rack for the MORETTA fashion designers to showcase their designs to the visitors. Conceptually, this clothing rack is an abstraction of the masquerade. A mask hides some parts of the face and reveals other parts of the face. As a result, it creates curiosity to the onlooker. It seduces them and makes them wonder, "Who is behind that mask?" Similarly, the clothing rack is designed to be sensual and mysterious. It frames the clothing. It also engages the onlooker in 3-dimensional space by partially occluding the clothing from some angles, and revealing it from other angles. This "mask" effect entices and seduces passerbys to interact with the form by walking around and through it.

MORETTA is a hotel, a rental-based fashion experience, and a fashion label. MORETTA's resident designers provide their own unique avant garde clothing interpretations. These are made available at an affordable rental-based price to guests to be worn within the MORETTA grounds.

Venetian Waterfalls. Falling water provides white noise for ambience and to encourage social interaction.

Secret Garden bedroom. A place that is designed to feel like only you and whoever you are with are the only people in that world.

Moretta retail clothing rack