Artists description:
The original version was created in 2018, during the rise of “Techwear” influenced by the mobile game “Arknights.” Many artists designed outerwear from fully transparent semi-rigid materials. While I found them visually appealing, my industrial design background warned me they would be hot and uncomfortable due to their lack of breathability. Nonetheless, I decided to create a practice piece themed around rain gear using this reflective and transparent material.
Estinne the Spirit Dog is a Basque Shepherd Dog. There was no particular reason for this choice; I simply selected a long-haired breed with a light grayish-yellow coat to complement the reflective clothing design. This breed is essentially a local rural dog to me.
In 2018, I had not developed any lore for Estinne, and Spirit Animals in Disguise was still in its early stages. By 2025, however, the project had evolved significantly, focusing on local spirit animal cooperatives as a major theme. Coincidentally, the Basque Shepherd Dog comes from the home of Mondragon Corporation—a well-known workers’ cooperative in Western countries—which is an interesting, faithful connection. In the future, Estinne may serve as a spirit animal student within the Mondragon community while Kongshan Union collaborates with Mondragon through the International Cooperative Alliance.
