You Said This Jacket Can Do What??? The Future of Fashion and Wearable Tech by Jason Lei
As the world keeps us on our toes and fashion trends are always changing, so is technology. While some may think that wearable watches are a personal GPS and Alexa is an FBI agent listening to us talk, wearable tech has dramatically helped and simplified our lives.
Custom Couture, Sign Me Up
Advanced technology is being integrated into our daily lives. Clothing that was once made by hand can now be created by machines, intricate patterns and designs are now possible using laser tech and 3D printing, and apparel can even have other functions as well (ever heard of a jacket that turns you into a mobile hotspot?)! Pretty dope if you ask me. You can draw a design and have it custom made by the next day with a 3D printer. Fashion prototypes can be designed and created in a blink of an eye (and a few hours), and there is no limit to anyone’s imagination. Designer Iris Van Herpen uses 3D printing for rapid prototyping and is able to create various pieces of clothing with complex ruffle detailing and intricate designs. It’s giving me Hunger Games, Chromatica, dystopian futuristic society. Imagine if you had to do all this detailed work by hand, and you hated the result? Whew, I’d quit right then and there.
Source via Iris Van Herpen
Apple Watch Got Me Feeling Like I’m on Spy Kids
Many people own a smart wearable device like an Apple Watch or Fitbit. You can track your heart rate, sleep cycle/times, and that step counter be keeping everyone on their toes, talking about “I just need to get my steps in.” Now, these smartwatches can let us hold calls, send text messages, and play music. But did you know that the new Apple Watch (#notspons) can even let you know your blood oxygen levels? You can also get detailed weather reports, stargazing conditions, and it can even tell you when golden hour is. Do you even need a phone anymore when everything you need is literally on your wrist? To take wearable tech even further, some designers have played around with e-textiles or have incorporated tech into their clothing. BYBORRE by Borre Akkersdijk, a Dutch textile designer, created a coat integrated with copper wires that support WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and can also function as an MP3 player. Other designers have created “living” dresses that curl and unfurl when exposed to air (Ying Gao), clothing that can light up when exposed to light (Ryan Genz and Francesca Rosella) or when they detect human gaze (Ying Gao), even pieces that can change color with the pH of the rain (Dahea Sun). The potential is limitless! There are even smart tattoos with biosensor ink that can detect when your blood sugar rises like the ones created by the Dermal Abyss Project at MIT and Harvard. The thinking behind this is that while wearable tech may be convenient, it still relies on a battery and has the potential to malfunction or power down.
BYBORRE by Borre Akkersdijk, a Dutch textile designer, created a coat integrated with copper wires that support WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and can also function as an MP3 player. Other designers have created “living” dresses that curl and unfurl when exposed to air (Ying Gao), clothing that can light up when exposed to light (Ryan Genz and Francesca Rosella) or when they detect human gaze (Ying Gao), even pieces that can change color with the pH of the rain (Dahea Sun). The potential is limitless! There are even smart tattoos with biosensor ink that can detect when your blood sugar rises like the ones created by the Dermal Abyss Project at MIT and Harvard. The thinking behind this is that while wearable tech may be convenient, it still relies on a battery and has the potential to malfunction or power down.
BB Suit via BYBORRE
Source via Harvard
The Shoe from Ocean Plastics
While my government-conspiracy-self will not be partaking in smartwatches (you don’t need to know me like that), I am proud to wear plastic bottles as clothes and shoes. Now, maybe some ten years ago would be looking at me crazy right now, but I think that most people nowadays know what I mean. Companies are trying to be more eco-conscious and use ocean plastics and plastic bottles to make fabrics for fashion. Adidas x Parley back in 2017 collabed on a shoe that used yarn made from ocean plastics and netting from illegal fishing. The success has led Adidas to integrate more of these recycled materials in more of their products, such as their UltraBoosts or AlphaBounce running shoes.
Source via Adidas
When Are The Jetpacks Coming?
Technology has made significant advances in the fashion industry, from limiting and recycling plastics to creating wearables that make our lives easier. But this is just the beginning. Who knows where we’ll be in 5, 10 years? I’m still trying to get a smart closet that can 3D print a ‘fit based on my mood so I can stunt every day, but the possibilities of wearable tech are limitless. Maybe in the future we can wear portable air filters or the next version of the Invisibility Cloak from Harry Potter. I’m tryna fly, or at least levitate two inches from the ground.