fakus pencil case collection fools the eye
all images courtesy of jetpens
the ‘fakus’ pencil cases by japanese retailer sun-star trick the eye with a humorous optical illusion, forcing their appearance to look three dimensional when it’s actually flat. the colorful collection of cotton holders come in pink, blue, yellow, brown, purple and green and each feature fake embellishments — like hand-drawn stitching, snaps, zippers and tags — which enhance the visual trickery. thick black outlines frame each design, surrounding a brightly hued surface, bringing a cartoon-like color palette and scheme to every item. the product’s namesake combines the english word ‘fake’ and the japanese ‘kusu’ — an onomatopoeia for laughter. the trompe l’oeil art technique applies to the exterior of the cases; within, about a dozen pens and pencils can be held at a time, making the playful pouches both a functional and comical spin on stationary design.
the holder seems to be three dimensional
rectangular pouch in blue holding pencils and pens 
green triangular pencil holder
detail of the trompe l’oeil stitching
the pink product, without items inside
pink tubular case holds pens and pencils
purple pouch holds items in various pockets
detail of the colorful pouch
brown features a trompe l’oeil zipper
the cotton pencil holder in brown
small yellow version 
detail of stitching and label
