Rapid technology advances have us already struggling with how to handle our electronic media legacy — email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram accounts, and even comment trails on Web articles — after death that the idea of protecting our biological information hasn’t quite caught up with us. A fashion student from London’s prestigious Central Saint Martins has developed a collection of “human leather wear”, created from the DNA of designer Alexander McQueen, who died in 2010. His DNA was extracted from hair he had used in the labels of his first fashion collection.
With no laws in place, the use of McQueen’s DNA did not involve any permissions from his heirs or estate. The Saint Martins student was able to extract the DNA, use that to create “leather” in the same skin tone as McQueen and apply for a patent. This process can also be used to create products of any dead person, be it family, friend or enemy. As long as you have access to their DNA. The question remains how ethical is the process where the DNA of a person long dead can be manipulated to create “human leather” for items such as belts and jackets?
It brings to mind the excesses of Nazi Germany, which used the body parts — including skin, hair and human fat — of peoples they tried to exterminate to make things like soap. Countries have to speed up their legislation as new technologies evolve rapidly, blurring boundaries between scientific progress and ethics. A warning: if you are not grossed out by the idea and are keen on wearing freshly-grown “human leather”, remember your sun screen.
