Carl Frisk- Design for a Living World

Ted Meuhling / Isaac Mizrahi Comparison:

Isaac Mizrahi has identified a valuable material, which is commonly viewed as waste. The skin is usually discarded during the salmon processing, essentially making it free or nearly so. By taking these skins and drying them into leather, he has added value to what used to be trash. By converting trash into value, he has created a system which allows the commercial fishermen, processing employees, and recreational fishermen to all continue what they have done for some many years. He has even opened a door to possibly create more jobs in the area by introducing a tannery for the area to dry and create their own salmon leather, without the need to export it to the Parisian. This could go further and allow the help of the native Indian tribes to introduce ways they traditionally dry animal skins and create another aesthetically pleasing surprise like the natural ivory color of the salmon leather.

In contrast to Mizrahi, Ted Meuhling seems to have created a more cohesive and lasting relationship. He has identified an area that, in order to acquire the beautiful materials, the environment must be pristine. He has used an abundant material, the ivory-nut, to craft beautiful pieces of jewelry in a similar fashion to the islanders of Pohnpei. The money from this jewelry could be used to give the islanders an income and provide training and education. From here a cycle begins where the jewelry finds the training, which in turns helps to provide conservation of the lagoons, which then could create a new pearl harvesting industry, which is solely dependant on the cleanliness of the lagoon and surrounding areas. He has set up a system that will continue to feed off of itself, providing a better environment, education and training, and new industry in the area.


Improvement:

In order to improve on Isaac Mizrahi’s salmon leather, I would take some cues from what Ted Meuhling has set in motion with his Pohnpei conservation system. The use of a Parisian artisan is the greatest drawback in my mind. Meuhling is so successful in his system because he has created a process that is sustainable once it is setup. I would look into the ways the native inhabitants of Alaska dry and use skins and develop a tannery within or near a salmon processing facility. The salmon leather could also be used whole, sewn together and used in a fashion similar to traditional leathers. Using the salmon leather in a more traditional way could open up more opportunities in the fashion industry. Along with more elaborate shoes and dresses, jackets, wallets, bags, and other accessories could be created.