We attended Berlin’s 9th Media convention Re:publica this week, where we had to look hard for the fashion tech frontline. Of course the MET Gala 2016 passed our critical review, while ASOS partnered up with Wayra UK, launching their accelerator programme. Plus a little pick-up journalism about some cutting edge smart fabric innovations from the research side. Read this week’s biggest stories, focusing on profound insights about the future of fashion.
When #FashionTech is Not The Name of the Game
In its fifth round at re:publica, #FASHIONTECH Berlin, described by Vogue (Germany) as being “about the compatibility of fashion and technology” is centred around bringing fashion, technology and wearables to re:publica. The event unites gadgets, hacking and fashion with the objective to bridge content from fashion design and technology. This year at re:publica 2016 they held talks, lectures, workshops and exhibits on all sorts of fashion topics. Taking place on the last day of re:publica, Wednesday 4th May 2016, #FASHIONTECH Berlin scheduled 13 sessions, and out of those 13 we found ourselves drawn to only two, The Internet of Textile Thing and Empathic Technology. READ MORE…
MET Gala’s Unrecognised Opportunities & What Should Have Been
With expectations high and excitement feverish, we could not wait to witness how fashion was going to define it’s relationship with technology on the red carpet. Was Manus x Machina going to send a clear message to doubters that Fashion Technology was a blossoming industry that was here to stay? Well not quite, because as soon as the first invited guests stepped onto the red carpet we quickly realised that their interpretation was more Barbarella rather than the swagger of fashion’s advancement in technology. As the red carpet became more crowded, it was disappointing to see designers playing it safe. Instead of going all out, they styled their muses in metallic accents paired with sleek slick-backed hairstyles. True, it was a look that screamed the future from the movies, but in reality, I do not think that it was the kind of future that the fashion technology movement had in mind. READ MORE…
ASOS on the Hunt for Innovative Fashion Tech Start-ups
ASOS is currently looking to bring innovative technology to its 11 million customers around the world and they invite startups with proven track records to submit proposals. ASOS x Wayra collab’s objective is to accelerate innovative startups and to also increase the pace of innovation within the fashion technology space. ASOS x Wayra hope that their venture will translate into meaningful solutions that will allow customers to find the perfect item among the 80,000+ products on ASOS.com. READ MORE…
These Smart Threads Can Change The Colour of Clothes
Often, when I leave the house, it hits me that I haven’t given my colour matching threads any attention. Most of the time it is this realisation that has me running back home to make sure I can find a piece of clothing that works a bit better with what I have on. Having to run back to the house every time I realise I have made a fashion passe could soon be a thing of the past, because a group of researchers in the US have found a way of shifting colours and displaying information on the fabrics we wear. READ MORE…
