How much do top fashion brands really depend on China? When, in July 2011, LinkedIn hired Dan Roth, everyone in the media industry thought the “professional” social network was up to something big. Roth came with an impressive résumé: Forbes, Condé Nast Portfolio (a great but ill-fated glossy), Wired, then Fortune, where he served as managing editor before being poached by LinkedIn. Four years later, Roth snatched Caroline Fairchild, a young, talented writer and editor from Fortune. Again, many thought this was the moment. The trade press, always prompt to draw doomsday scenarios, came up with sensational headlines such as “How Dan Roth became the most powerful editor in business publishing” (Digiday), or “Media frenemy LinkedIn raids Fortune, Wall Street Journal for editors” (AdAge). Worrisome indeed. Everyone (yours truly included) was wrong about LinkedIn editorial potential; it didn’t became a significant business media player—and most likely never will. Why? Dan Roth takes the defense of his platform’s transparency to an extreme.
The Tech of Fashion: 10 Ways Technology Drives Tomorrow's Fashion View in gallery Like any other art, the long-term trends in fashion are often driven by advancements in technology. New materials merge with the old and new needs drive innovation while fashion slowly evolves. Protection in Fashion: Armor and Information When we enter dangerous endeavors, from biking through the city to fighting fires, the clothes we wear can help keep us safe. Protection in Fashion Gallery Recycling in Fashion As fresh materials become harder to come by and/or less sustainable, the need to recycle existing fabrics becomes more important. Recycling in Fashion Gallery Kinetic Energy in Fashion When we walk, run or dance, our movement can be converted into electrical energy. Kinetic Energy in Fashion Gallery Solar Power Fashion Where a surface meets the sun, solar energy can be captured. Solar Power Fashion Gallery Environmentally Responsive Fashion The environment around us is changing, and our fashion can respond to that in artful or informative ways. 3D Printed Fashion
London fashion week: why technology is in fashion | Media Network At London fashion week the multibillion dollar worlds of tech and fashion are colliding like never before. For many, the launch of Apple’s new watch, announced this week with impeccable timing to coincide with the global fashion weeks, will mark an important turning point for fashion tech, a new sector with huge potential for growth. While Apple’s entry into the market is almost guaranteed to boost the industry’s profile, in reality the fashion industry has been driving fashion tech for years. Fashion tech is much more than just tech inside a timepiece, and nowhere is this more apparent than in London. In 2010, London Fashion Week was the first in the world to grant access to the masses by live streaming the runways. Now, everyone has their smartphone camera primed, ready to make their contribution to the zeitgeist. The next generation of high tech fashionistas are already emerging. Two rising stars from this growing trend are Kate Unsworth and Roberta Lucca.
MADE IN BRITAIN - Topshop Blog Featured Tis the season to be British – tralalalala… lalalala… With the Jubilee and the Olympics encouraging our patriotic tendencies, we thought it was high time classic, quintessential style hit the fashion headlines and thus, our new collection Made in Britain was born. Marrying tradition with innovation (because isn’t that so the British way?), every piece has been lovingly crafted in the heart of London’s East End to create a capsule collection that even the Queen herself would be proud of. Queue our fashion fantasies of countryside frolicking in a sailor dress and wellies, pounding the city streets in the ultimate biker jacket and not to mention enjoying a spot of afternoon-tea (with her majesty and corgis of course), while sporting the cutest swan-print jumpsuit.
Fashion’s big brands follow the money to join the wearable tech revolution | Technology We’ve all been there. You rush out of the house to catch the train to work, elbow your way into a seat and immediately reach for your smartphone. But it isn’t there. It might sound like the stuff of sci-fi, but clothes that double up as smartphones aren’t as far away as you might think. From its studio in Shoreditch in east London, Rosella and her team have been fusing technology with clothing for a decade and have a reputation for coming up with some of the most innovative stuff. Britain – and London especially – has long been seen as a trendsetter in smart clothing. One big brand name that’s keen to talk about wearables is Ralph Lauren. “The technology has evolved to a point where it can now be synthesised with clothing. There will be outfits for our children that will tell us if they’re getting enough exercise, and jackets warning us if our blood pressure is too high. But why now? His company, which employs 50 people, is throwing its resources into designing technology for clothes.
5 Technology Trends Transforming the Fashion Industry - Fashion GPSFashion GPS By Anish Singh, CTO, Fashion GPS The innovations taking place at the intersection of fashion and technology are profoundly amazing and transformative. In many respects, the fashion industry today bears little resemblance to that of a decade ago—and will change even more in the decade ahead. Legendary businessman Peter Drucker famously said, ”Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window.” I am, however, going to energize your imagination with five trends that will help create that unpredictable future—trends that are taking shape right now, that Fashion GPS is tracking closely, and with which all of us in the fashion industry will need to grapple in the years ahead. 1. What it’s about: The most obvious examples of wearable technology today are Google Glass and a variety of smartwatches—but these are rudimentary first steps into the realm of wearable tech. 2. 4. 5.
Can big brands catch up on sustainable fashion? | Guardian Sustainable Business Imagine a pair of trousers you could throw on the compost. After years of use, they could decompose among the eggshells and tea bags to leave behind nothing but some fertile soil to help grow new raw materials. It takes the circular economy to a whole new level. This is the idea behind F-ABRIC, a range of materials developed by Swiss company Freitag. While natural fibres like cotton will compost over time, synthetic fibres like polyester won’t, and natural fibres are often blended with synthetic. The fact that it is biodegradable does not make the fabric any less hard-wearing, says one of the founders, Daniel Freitag. Freitag is not the only company looking to microorganisms for inspiration. Essi Johanna Glomb, head of design at Blond & Bieber, says: “The colours for dyes are extremely toxic and really harm the people working with them and also nature. Perhaps most intriguingly, the colours change dramatically over time, from pink to bright orange, for example, or green to blue.
"Technology is going to turn the entire fashion industry inside out" Fashion and technology: the digital revolution presents the "biggest challenge for fashion brands" according to digital fashion pioneer Francis Bitonti who asks: "How will an industry where value is communicated by exclusivity and craft cope with this new space?" (+ interview) The fashion industry has been slow to adapt to new technologies, says Bitonti, who warned: "Fashion brands are going to have to adapt to this, which is going to mean a shift in core values for many brands." The New York-based designer initially trained as an architect but has recently focussed on applying advanced manufacturing techniques to fashion, jewellery and accessories, including a 3D-printed dress for Dita von Teese and a pair of 3D-printed shoes. "We want to redevelop everything from design methodology to material and form, to distribution and production," he said. Bitonti berated the mainstream fashion industry for not being quicker to embrace technology. We don't live in a time for concepts and drawings.
Fashion meets the future as garments go hi-tech Social media users curate the runway at Fyodor Golan's London Fashion Week show An interactive garment created by Nokia Lumias became the world's first interactive smart skirt Celebrities including Alexa Chung and Pixie Geldof whip out their smartphones on the front row at London Fashion Week Apple launched its smart watch in September, allowing users to call and message friends with a click on the device Ralph Lauren's biometric shirt tracks your body's data before sending it to your smartphone Google Glass is often credited as the trailblazer of wearable tech, and the product has since been adopted by designer Diane von Furstenberg Jawbone Up tracks weight and fitness through its wristband and smartphone app, helping to integrate health management into your daily routine Fitbit has proved to be one of the most popular wearable creations, helping to fuse the gap between fashion and technology. Futuristic fashion "We have become better online than in stores.
Investigating The Sustainability Claims Behind H&M ColumnIs fast fashion giant H&M really making moves to become more sustainable, or is it all just greenwashing? Editor’s Note: This is Jessica Marati’s first column for Behind The Label, which will explore whether brands claiming sustainable initiatives are going green – or just plain greenwashing. It’s so easy to love and hate H&M. On the one hand, the Swedish fashion chain has played a significant role in democratizing fashion and bringing trends once reserved for the upper classes to the masses. In recent years, H&M has made efforts to be more transparent with its social responsibility efforts, releasing a hefty Conscious Actions Sustainability Report in 2010 that outlined its sustainability goals and action roadmap. In 2011, however, H&M stepped up its efforts with the release of a much-anticipated Conscious Collection, a white-hued line of separates made from organic cotton, Tencel®, and recycled polyester. Images: H&M.
Smart Clothes Are The Future of Wearables Get this crap off of my wrist. Why are we so fixated on watches and bands? The wearable tech market is full of fitness-obsessed products for workout-loving people with thick wrists and deep pockets. No one in the industry wants to admit it, but the wrist is probably not the best place to stick a bunch of sensors, and activity tracking may not even be the best use for all those sensors. If we want wearables to become truly wearable, companies need to start looking at the clothes we wear every day of our lives. Forget bands, make more smart clothes Although the idea of smart clothing has floated around for a few years, little has come of it, until now. Slipping on a smart t-shirt or hooking on a smart bra in the morning doesn’t require any extra effort. No matter your age, gender, or fitness level, you have one choice every day: wear clothes or get arrested for indecent exposure. The main problem with current fitness bands and smartwatches is that they’re so conspicuous. OMsignal OMbra
BoF Exclusive | Apple Watch To Make Editorial Debut in Vogue China - BoF - The Business of Fashion BEIJING, China — Apple’s relationship with fashion has grown from a casual flirtation to a full-blown love affair. BoF can reveal that the Apple Watch is set to make its editorial debut on the cover of Vogue China’s November issue, out this Monday, featuring Liu Wen. A spread from Vogue China’s November issue | Source: Vogue China It’s the latest in a series of activities that puts fashion at the focus of Apple’s communication strategy. Later that evening, Apple organised a high-profile dinner for 250 fashion insiders, co-hosted by Azzedine Alaïa, Marc Newson and Jonathan Ive. Apple Watch by David Sims and Karl Templer | Source: Courtesy Apple “When Jonathan Ive and Tim Cook talked me through how they developed the concept of the Apple Watch from the beginning, I was impressed by their thoughts and passion for the project,” Angelica Cheung,Vogue China’s editor-in-chief, told BoF, discussing her first impressions of the product.
Interview with Olivia Burton founders, Lesa Bennett and Jemma Fennings Succeeding in creating a women’s watch collection that is distinctive, creative and fun – we wanted to know a little more about the women behind the Olivia Burton watch brand, that brings us such delectable and affordable British styled wristwear. How did you decide that making wristwatches was what you wanted to do? We’re both very passionate about watches and have talked about starting our own business for a while. Jointly we had both been working in fashion buying and production for 15 years and felt that we were ready to take the plunge. You met each other on your first day at London College of Fashion, would you say your friendship is paramount to the success of Olivia Burton? It certainly contributes to the success! What are your plans for future collections? We will continue to take our inspiration from vintage, catwalk and nature. What watch/accessories are you wearing right now? We have an absolute weakness for accessories. Which jewellery / watch brands do you lust after?