The fashion industry is one that experiences change frequently – and using stylish wearable technology can level up your look. As designers showcase new styles, it is a hotbed for innovation. Being one of the biggest industries in the world, fashion is growing at a fast and alarming rate, much like technology.
Some of the processes in the industry have already been revolutionized by the implementation of technology. For example, robots are used to cut and sew fabric, AI algorithms can predict styles and trends and VR dressing room technology is personalising and atomizing user experiences.
When we think about wearable technology, our minds automatically cast to what’s currently available in the mainstream market. Smart watches have taken health monitoring and fashion by storm, creating sleek and fashionable wear that does more than just tell the time. However, the notion of wearable technology in fashion is not entirely new, but it is considerable today as evident from the image below.
(Image Source: Global Web Index)
Some historians claim the concept of smart wearables came as early as the 13th century with the invention of eyeglasses. Today, with the aid of technology, eyeglasses have been upgraded and now include smart features, transforming traditionaly looking glasses to highly intelligent accessories – a good example of this are Amazon Echo frames that allow wearers to install prescription lenses while keeping smart framses. As time has gone on, it’s only natural for fashion and technology to entwine and strengthen.
The relentless evolution of bulky to sleek
Some of the more familiar smart wearables currently available on the market have been developed from parent technologies such as smartphones and computers. If we consider the evolution of smartphones themselves, we can gain an understanding of how hardware went from big and bulky to small and slim in a matter of years.
It is thanks to a range of developments in the technology sector that have helped bring the unison of different types of techs to create new devices. For example, developments in new chip and memory technology have enabled an increase in storage capacity and capabilities on smaller-sized chips.
The new chips are able to hold more and are smaller in size making them ideal to fit into smaller devices. If we consider how big portable USB stick players were in the early 2000s, they were only capable of holding 1GB and in some cases less. This capacity translated to only hold a mere 20 audio files. Today’s technology can hold that amount tenfold and is a fraction of the size.
More recent developments in chip technology by engineers at the University of Texas at Autin have developed the smallest and thinnest storage device, making headway for a future of increasingly compact and lightweight devices.
The invention of the chip will help develop smarter, faster and smaller electronics and computer technology as well as big data. The chip will also help make the future of technology more energy-efficient.
Is wearable technology taking over our wardrobes?
A recent study carried out by WTVOX found 24% of fashion wears believe wearing fashion-infused technology makes them perceived by others as more intelligent and successful while 32% of them believe wearables currently available have a poor and unappealing design. This insight indicates that there is a need and demand for smart wearables as many consumers do want them but their designs and styles make them unattractive.
However, as fashion becomes increasingly entwined with technology and whether or not fashionistas want to have a futuristic-style wardrobe, movement in the fashion industry indicates that somewhere in the future, technology will be a major part of fashion attire. According to some fashion brands, smart clothing will surpass smartwatches and fitness trackers to go on to become the biggest wearables in the fashion sector. As smart wearables gain traction, it is driving innovation for smart fashion.
Some celebrities have already taken to the red carpet in a technology-infused fashion which includes dresses incorporated with LED lights and tuxedos with smart cooling ventilation to help control body temperature against stage lighting. Fashion matters make a personal; statement when something is visibly worn, which is why smart technology will continually need to keep up with trends and remain fashionable.
Making wearables more appealing and less visible
Although wearables are popular, there is one issue with them and that is their drop-off rate. A survey revealed that more than half of those who brought health and fitness smart wearables stopped using them after some time.
One of the biggest reasons for this is the appearance of the design and its appeal. With this in mind, many big wearable tech companies like Samsung and Apple are turning towards the fashion industry for inspiration and to do collaborations to add style to their tech products.
Many wearables have a uniform look making them less appealing, however, the help of fashion brands can help change this making the influence of smart wearables even more powerful in the future.
(Image Source: Statista)
The tech industry is good at what they do but making desirable wearables as we have understood from the survey above is not their tey. However, what we wear is an expression of ourselves and most wearable devices that can be laid down like our phones. They are mostly tied to our clothing or wits and become a part of us. For this reason, future wearables will need to be discrete and less visible. Almost like a computer collecting daily data without being seen. As chip technology becomes smaller it gives way to invisible tech where the same health metrics could be picked up by a sensor embedded in our shoes or a chip fitting into a pendant, making possibilities endless.
Mary is a freelance tech, gadgets and lifestyle writer based in London. Her work has been featured in HubPages, Tech Crates, Virily and Recently Heard. He runs a blog, An Eye Behind, that focuses on the secret life of London.
