UPDATED 12:02 EDT / AUGUST 28 2014

Connected couture: 5 real designers at the intersection of fashion and tech

wearablesolar-dress-1024x724From flying cars to colonizing other planets, we’ve all envisioned what our future might look like. But have you ever wondered how our clothes will change in the next decade? Will we be wearing spacesuits with oxygen tanks because our air is so polluted?  Or will our smartphones evolve into the very fabrics we wear, keeping us subtly connected to the Internet 24/7?

eBay Fashion, the style and beauty arm of eBay Inc., has come up with an interesting infographic based on a survey of about 1,000 Americans.  The flipbook infographic entitled “Imagining the Fashion of the Future,” it revealed that respondents see technology as one of the biggest influences in fashion’s future.

Eighty-seven percent of the respondents believe that fashion is an expression of who they are, and this belief could lead to consumers 3D-printing their own apparel, perhaps even incorporating LEDs or some form of light-emitting material to make their clothes stand out.

The survey also revealed that 80 percent of respondents believe technology will be seamlessly integrated into future fashion trends. Another 72 percent would wear technology that allowed them to track their health, while 66 percent stated that they wouldn’t mind wearing clothes or accessories with smart devices embedded in them if they served a useful function, such as a personal hotspot or a battery charger.

“The wearable tech boom that has occurred within the last few years inspired our curiosity,” said  Chibuzo Okoro, Project Manager for this eBay project, in an emailed statement. “It prompted us to imagine how this emerging technology, coupled with our shifting environmental landscape, might evolve to influence future fashion trends. Based on the infographic and associated survey, we realized that people desire fashion that is not only visually compelling, but also anticipates the demands of an ever-changing, increasingly volatile environment.”

Now that we have an idea of consumer expectations for tech-driven fashion trends, let’s look at these real-world projects to keep us connected and stylish.

Borre connected fabric

Borre fabric, via Instagram

5 interesting takes on fashion and technology

 

Wearable Solar

When someone talks about fusing solar energy with fashion, images of unwieldy solar-panels on one’s sleeves may come to mind.  But Solar Fiber, a group of designers who met at Ideas Waiting to Happen, believe that incorporating technology into fashion shouldn’t result in ugly apparel.

The Wearable Solar collection features a coat and dress with solar cells placed close to the body. The solar cells are strategically placed for easy exposure to the sun, folding away when not needed.  The solar cells are designed and constructed in a way that allows it to capture solar light and convert it into electricity.  The internal structure of the solar cells is layered and resembles stratified cells of the human body to naturally interact with sunlight. The solar cells can power a smartphone up to 100 percent of its battery charge when the cells are fully charged.

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BB.Suit

Designed by Dutch designer Borre Akkersdijk in collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), 22Tracks, CRISP and Daan Spangenberg Graphics, the BB.Suit is a onesie for grownups that provides WiFi connectivity and turns a person into a walking hotspot.

Though the onesie was designed to provide WiFi connectivity on the go, it can also provide a way to share music with others, and supports other functions, as it is embedded with Bluetooth, NFC and GPS chips.

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The Climate Dress

Forster Rohner textiles

Forster Rohner textiles

If you want something that tells you whether there is a high concentration of carbon dioxide in the vicinity, you might be interested in The Climate Dress, designed by Diffus.

What makes the dress unique is the intricate embroidery design by Forster Rohner Textile Innovations of Forster Rohner AG, made of conductive threads that makes the dress come alive with different lighting patterns depending on the level of CO₂. Think of it as a way to monitor the quality of air while keeping your dress interesting.

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Kinetic energy charger

There are many kinetic energy chargers available in the market today, from devices you can put on your bike, to something you can strap on your leg, shoes or arm.  But we may soon see items of clothing such as workout shirts, pants or shorts embedded with the same technology to harness kinetic energy to power up a device that would allow us to charge our mobile devices at a later time.

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Nanotech suit

Fusing fashion and technology doesn’t always mean LEDs, WiFi, or a way to charge your mobile devices.  By using nanotechnology, Indochino Inc. has come up with a unique suit that allows dapper dudes brave anything Mother Nature throws his way without compromising his sense of style.

The Nanotech suit has been scientifically advanced to stand up to moisture and stains, and repels them with ease.  It also features a waterproof inside pocket that allows the wearer to secure his mobile phone when rain starts to pour.

Some of the technologies mentioned above has the potential to change our dependence on fossil-based energy sources and could lead to the improvement of our environment.

via eBay Fashion


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