French designer Louis Le Joly Senoville has introduced Ha Mat, a wearable chess set that turns a centuries-old game into a playful, portable accessory. Born from his passion for chess and a desire to play anytime, anywhere, the design combines functionality and style, challenging traditional notions of both games and fashion.

Designer: Louis Le Joly Senoville

The Ha Mat set consists of three key elements:

Rings: 32 bold metal rings represent the chess pieces. Each piece is crafted from rectangular brass blocks, laser-cut to feature graphic reliefs that symbolize their identity. A cross for the king, a zigzag for the queen’s crown, and a simplified horse head for the knight exemplify the blend of utility and artistry.

Silk Scarf: The silk scarf serves as the chessboard, seamlessly blending form and function. Its design incorporates patterns derived from the ring pieces, creating an elegant accessory that can be worn daily. To complement the unconventional forms of the chess pieces, the scarf features a printed layout of their arrangement, making it intuitive for players to recognize and use the pieces during a game.

Custom Watch: A sleek aluminum and leather wristwatch serves as a dual chess timer when separated, enhancing its multifunctional appeal.

Le Joly Senoville’s design draws from history, referencing concealed wearable objects like silk escape maps from WWII and 19th-century military scarves. This historical context blends with modern aesthetics to create a set steeped in tradition yet tailored for contemporary use.

The pieces were precision-cut from brass and galvanized with silver, produced in collaboration with a French waterjet metal cutting company. The scarf was crafted from deadstock silk sourced from LVMH Group, emphasizing sustainability. Even the watch prototype was handmade with the help of watchmakers, demonstrating meticulous attention to detail.

The designer’s decision to manufacture entirely in France challenges the mass-production norms of design industries, aligning with his commitment to local craftsmanship and sustainable practices.

While Ha Mat’s concept may not cater to daily wear, its ingenuity and charm are undeniable. The wearable rings are visually striking, balancing functionality and artistic expression. The project was conceived as Le Joly Senoville’s final-year project at Central Saint Martins, reflecting his appreciation for chess as a “timeless and intergenerational” game.

The name Ha Mat pays homage to the Breton phrase “eched ha mat” (checkmate), a nod to the designer’s heritage in Brittany. It underscores the designer’s effort to modernize the game while honoring its rich history.

Le Joly Senoville joins a growing movement of designers reimagining chess, such as Stefan Gougherty’s Negative Space Chess Set and Florian Hauswirth’s stackable Democratic Chess Set. However, Ha Mat stands out for its wearable, multifunctional approach, blending the worlds of design, fashion, and gameplay in an innovative and striking way.

This unique set invites players to rethink the boundaries of the game, offering a creative and stylish way to engage with chess in any setting.

The post This ‘Wearable’ Chess Set features 32 ‘Chessmen’ Rings, and a Checkered Playable Scarf first appeared on Yanko Design.

Unless you are Elon Musk and believe chess is “too simple to be useful in real life,” you know, chess is a strategic and competitive game. It requires meticulous planning and clear objectivity. If you don’t have an objective in mind, your moves will be directionless and you will end up wasting time thinking and moving without purpose. Through the gameplay, it instills cognitive thinking, benefits mental well-being, and can now be a source of thoughtful restoration in the war-torn Ukraine.

Cuibiono, a design-first not-for-profit, has been at the forefront of providing aid to the regions where geopolitical conflicts like war have damaged humanity. With the new chess set, it has conceived using recycled biomaterials (PLA) and 3D printing, the NGO is giving everyone a chance to jump onto their journey of creativity, sustainability, and giving back, helping make a difference and restore homes in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Designer: Cuibiono

The stackable chess set is inspired by the war-torn and displaced Kharkiv, which has been on the receiving end of the Russian invasion. Called the Kindachess – S, this set 3D-printed from naturally degradable bioplastics – features a board segmented to depict the nation under war. It is designed as fractures on the earth’s crust. But when it’s stacked to be stored, the dividing lines on the board form the Ukrainian flag to depict unity and the satisfaction of returning home.

The idea of a chess set whose profit from sales proceeds would go into restoring homes in Kharkiv is the brainchild of designer Liam Hwang of Cuibiono. The compact, stackable chess set is 3D printed sustainably in Hackney, London. It measures 200mm x 200mm when laid out for playing and fits into a case measuring 290mm x 164mm after use.

This is not Cuibiono’s first such sustainably driven product with the idea of giving back. The NGO states, “we are committed to sustainability.” All the products designed in their facilities are crafted with eco-friendly materials (like recycled PLA in the case of the chess set). The chess set, selling in two color contrasts: wheat and sky, ivory and walnut, is now available at £200 (approximately $250). Buy now, and support the cause becoming a part of the community that cares.

The post 3D Printed Chess Set pays respect to the Ukraine invasion with a poignant war-themed design first appeared on Yanko Design.