Wearable devices: where fashion and technology collide With the launch of Samsung's Galaxy Gear and Google's Glass this year, wearable technology has reached a turning point. These devices may not look like fashion items, but they are simply the starting point for the wearable technology revolution which is set to sweep both the technology and fashion industries. O2 recently unveiled a series of designer handbags that double as phones as part of a project that illustrates the possibilities of gadget recycling. While these pieces are a light-hearted take on the category of wearable technology, they illustrate how the whole notion of wearable technology is growing. "The key to good product design is having a need for something, not creating something because you can," said designer Sean Miles, who created the bags. "We’re moving closer to a point where we want 24/7 access to whatever bit of technology or data we need to get access to, and the most obvious way to do that is to integrate it into an accessory or a piece of clothing.
Future Of Fashion: Technology On The Catwalk By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent One thing never goes out of fashion: talking about wearable technology at London Fashion Week. The jamboree shows up twice a year and technology is always at the forefront - whether it's Burberry live streaming their shows, or exotic LED dresses. Problem is that wearable technology has never been very wearable, nor very technological. Is this year any different? Well, perhaps we’re seeing wearable technology disappear, finally. Lauren Bowker is the founder of The Unseen, a label that uses advanced materials to visualise 'unseen' things like digital data. A dress designed by CuteCircuit using tech-centric threads The piece itself is closer to a sculpture than anything else, and very subtle. Video: Apple Enters Wearable Tech Market "We're not necessarily interested in implementing wires and lights and going down the wearable computing route. Video: Wearable Tech Data Worries Video: Wearable Tech: Hit Or Miss?
"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.
How technology has changed student life Going back to my family dinner, and chatting about university life, it didn't take too long for the phrase "you kids have it so much easier these days" to feature. But, to be completely fair on my mother, she has a valid point. While we still have all the same educational benefits as those of the previous generation, we have so many more as well. We still have libraries available to us, but we also have countless virtual libraries that exist on the Internet, with services such as Emerald Insight. Studying used to be a process of sitting in these libraries with as many books from your reading list as you could get your hands on. Student faculty interaction is another area that has benefited from technology, for both parties. It’s amazing to actually look back, compare, and take on board the advancements that have been made and the benefits we are reaping as a result. Student discounts have always been a perk of attending university. Some institutions are encouraging this digital focus.
Luxury Brands Using Social Media Marketing Online «FMM Louis Vuitton - Ad Campaign How Should Luxury Brands Engage in Social Media? This past week, Women’s Wear Daily released an extensive recap of the WWD Luxury Forum. The consensus among luxury professionals is that luxury brands and retailers need to build solid marketing foundations online and those foundations (based off of social media) should focus on building communities and keeping audiences engaged. Ogilvy Digital 360′s Rohit Bhargava and Forrester Research Analyst Jeremiah Owyang recently compiled better practice recommendations for luxury brands venturing into the social media arena. Can luxury retailers venture into social marketing without losing their prestige, aspirational values and sophistication? In order for luxury brands to distinguish themselves diluting their brand, Owyang suggests that luxury brands: 1. 2. My Thoughts: This is usually our first recommendation to clients: add social sharing buttons. 3. Fashism.com 4. 5.
Apple's iOS 10 Arrives on September 13 Apple keeps rolling out news after its unveiling of the new iPhone 7, first with the arrival of MacOS Sierra on September 20 and now the news of iOS 10 being released on September 13. iOS 10 will be the biggest update to Apple’s mobile operating system to date and it will include a significant update to Apple’s favorite assistant Siri. Siri will now be able to improve image searchers, handle transcribing voicemails, and even write text messages. The lock screen will also include a number of changes as users will be able to interact with notifications and widgets using 3D Touch. The upgrade will be free for the following devices, iPhone 5 and higher, iPod touch 6th generation, iPad mini 2 and higher, and iPad 4th generation, as well as the subsequent iPad Air and iPad Pro models. For more information on iOS 10 head here.
Fashion and technology merge to improve consumer experience | euronews, hi-tech With the Internet revolutionising the way we shop, customers are increasingly avoiding dressing rooms, opting instead for the comfort of online shopping that usually offers liberal return policies. In a bid to entice customers back, some shops have been testing various amenities including so-called intelligent dressing rooms that allow users to “try on” different items without having to actually change clothes. Going one step further, the recent Fashion Tech in Tel Aviv aimed at bringing together the worlds of fashion and technology to see how the two can work together. Yael Kochman is the organiser of the event: “With technology you can change the way that people consume fashion, whether it’s online or in store, in real life, you can also do an omni-channel experience and combine the online and the offline together, and those startups really take it to the next level,” she said. But the true answer to customers’ desires could lie with with 3D printers.
Fashion Brands, Social Media and Real Time Live Streaming «FMM Alexander McQueen A few announcements in the past couple of weeks have made me ponder the place that real-time social media plays in fashion events. During Toronto Fashion Week, all social media was forbidden during events and shows; organizers blamed weak ticket sales for this shortsighted decision. The media (traditional and “new”) and readers agreed that wasn’t the way to go and some critics even went as far as to say it set the industry back several years. As we discussed in “Fashionably Late to the Party“, it’s only to a brand’s, retailer’s or event’s advantage to leverage the power and the speed with which information is spread across social networks. Alexander McQueen made a bold decision during NYFW S/S 2010 to live stream his show straight from the runways. 1. 2. 3. 4. Twitter: Alexander McQueen Consumer Trends So what actually happened when McQueen streamed his show on Tuesday? How McQueen could have made the experience even better:
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.