I think my first glimpse at skinning was as a child, examining the tattoos on grandpa's arm. That all too human desire to put our own mark down, to decorate our possessions, even unto our bodies, has been present forever, in one way or another. Years later, I would design my own tattoos. And then came the computer, then skins…

And if we are to accept that skinning is pressing our own choice of interface onto a pre-existing product, then we can also acknowledge that the form has jumped off the screen and gotten a hold in the Real World.

This article is a little peek at the artifacts of skinning that I've been able to find “IRW”.

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Swatch out! It's skinnable!

Years ago, a friend showed me this new watch. She noted that the cover could be removed and replaced with a new color.This was way back in the day, and the novelty was hot.

Just lately, I have noticed that Nike, Briko, and Smith have all released sunglasses with interchangeable lenses. And the new Gambeboy advance already has a bevy of alternate pop-on interfaces, as well as a band of avid fans who are literally “making their own”.

This sort of real world skinning starts to get really freaky at the point where you read this about the Mercedes “Smart” car: “The body panels of the smart are available in bright colours and are easily interchangeable.”

Down at the Café

Then, just as I was first really getting into the net, a fellow skinner pointed me to a small company called “Cafepress.com”. You've seen their products at many of the skinsite whether you realized it or not.

Cafépress is, in its own way, the “IRW Crack” of skinning. You can upload any graphic you want, then have it printed (one at a time) on mousepads, coffecups, even boxer shorts. And there is no entry fee…all the charges are on the back-end. Skin away at no up-front cost.

Skate me, Shoe me

I also managed to turn up Zumiez, a skateboard company that lets you custom design your own board..almost. Decks are chosen from a pool of ready-made art, along with trucks, whells, etc. Still, how far away from “upload your art” can we be?

And on the same note, you get the option of designing your own shoes in much the same way at customatix.com. Plug right in and get to work on our feetwear, including your own tagline (a positive step in the right direction).

Bad to the Phone

In a way, all these items are just leading up to the thing that has become the most prominently skinned item in the “Real World” — the cell phone.

Nokia cases are everywhere. As are alternate shells for almost every other make and model. From simple alternate colors to wild light-up designs and tribal motifs. And there seems to be no real “price” on any of it. Different sellers charge radically different prices for identical items, and your choices are as bounless as your return limits at Google.

The Final Frontier

But even the cell phone covers you see at the mall are just the tease for the main event: Your Art. Yep. For a mere 30 bucks, you can upload your own art for your own “one off” cell phone covers at Motorola's “I-Den” site!

Imagine a whole section at your favorite skin site for phone covers. All the techonology to make that a reality is available right now. How the money would work out is the real compication, but it should not be a stumbling block.

“Like my new cell cover? It's a treetog design!”

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I Want It All

As one off manufacturing becomes more prevalent (and it will… innovation demands imitation), we should all see new opportunities abound. Hopefully, skinners will find easy access to non-exclusive partnerships with custom manufacturers. If Cafepress can do it with a coffee cup or mousepad, there should be nothing stopping Levi's from doing it with jeans, or Gibson doing it with guitars.

It just can't wait for my Monaux-skinned Porsche!!!!

— Kenray, May 11th 2002