MEET CENTSITIVE OBJECTS…
Over the last two decades Hayden has worked on a string of design projects, many of which sit within the Haydenshapes brand and are surfboard specific (new model releases, creating/patenting FutureFlex, steering the development of HSSTUDiO etc) to other outside personal design projects across different categories ie. a wave installation at Semi Permanent, architectural/interior work like designing a retail space & his home, releasing a book and so on.
In October last year, Hayden was tasked to design and create a range of wearable accessories for Westpac that you can tap and pay with and essentially help introduce this new category within Australia . After a year in the making, it’s finally here.
Read an interview with Hayden below.
On this project you’ve stepped outside of surfboards and Haydenshapes for a moment, tell us how this all came about.
“I really enjoy taking on unique personal projects from time to time. Initially, the idea was to create a few items that wouldn’t necessarily be available for sale to the public, but more to show how creative a category like this could potentially be. Once I designed and prototyped a collection of 5 pieces and presented it to the team back in January, the project and plans started to really evolve and from there Westpac decided that they wanted to get behind it and launch it. It’s definitely one of the coolest and most challenging projects I’ve ever been involved in as a designer. I’ve learned a lot that I can channel back into Haydenshapes.”
What was the brief?
“To design four wearable accessory items that could house a 1.5cm X 2.5cm contactless payment chip – suited to the Australian lifestyle. Of the four items, they wanted a wristband and something you could attach to your watch. It was actually quite open and I had complete freedom to interpret this in my own way from aesthetic to function and materials. Where I landed was a 5 piece collection available in 3 colour ways. I designed everything from the products themselves to the packaging, marketing materials, copy and taglines and of course – the range title ‘Centsitive Objects’. I’ve learned so much on this project from really getting hands on and managing it all from start to finish. There were plenty of hiccups to make things interesting but I’m super proud of the result.”
A breakdown of the collection…
Band + Chain
“Rather than designing a wristband on its own, I wanted to create a piece that was multifunctional with a dual purpose. Essentially, it’s a keychain that dissembles and can be worn separately as a waterproof band for daily activities, surfing, exercise etc. When it isn’t being worn, it’s attached to your keys so that it’s easy to find and one less thing you have to think about. The fabric in the band is made from recycled fishing nets found discarded in the ocean and regenerated into nylon spandex.”
Incognito Pin
“The idea for this was to make it pretty clean and minimal. The silicone chip holder sits out of sight and beneath the fabric with a brass bolt that pierces through and screws into a half sphere dome or lightning bolt topper – there’s 4 options”.
Slimline Keeper + Centsitive Patch
I designed the silicone keeper to be low-profile and slimline when attached to any watch-strap or exercise band. The iron or sew on patch sits ‘out of sight’ and is made from screen printed cotton and includes an internal silicone lined pocket. It’s intended to be worn internally on clothing or accessories items like a hat or sleeve.
Nostalgia Pin
“This one is a personal favourite. Aestheticially, I’ve always really liked the safety pin design. I made my own custom version and for this and put my HS designer stamp initials on it – which I put on any product I design whether it is Haydenshapes related or not. It’s sort of a ‘nod’ to the brand I guess. Like the Incognito Pin, the silicone card holder sits beneath the fabric so that only the pin is visible from the exterior. I use this one a lot.”
Tell us about the campaign animations.
“I had this idea of block colour animations and matter that form different objects in a way that visually relates to the products and their function. We worked with Andrew and the team at Collider in Sydney to create them and bring them to life. I also wanted the three colours represented – stone, mineral and black so there’s three version. I feel like visually they are engaging, but also drive a little curiosity to find out more without being too literal. “
How and where can people get their hands on the range?
right here – www.westpac.com.au/centsitiveobjects
Onto other topics for a moment, what is coming up for Haydenshapes?
“Now that I have a good start on the design and manufacturing of accessories, you’ll definitely see some new Haydenshapes categories launch in the next couple of months. On the board sides of things, I have nearly finished refining a twin fin design I’ve been testing. We will also be announcing a really cool project with Dion Agius shortly that is one of our coolest art projects yet. We’ve been working on it for a few months now and it’s looking really cool.”
