THE FUTURE OF FASHION
GO-GO-GADGET GARMENTS
Whether it’s an Hermès Apple Watch or a Tory Burch Fitbit, there’s no shortage of luxury-branded activity trackers on the market. But if Google has anything to do with it, the end could be nigh for high-fashion wearables, with smart fabrics on the road to making them obsolete. In 2016, the tech giant announced it was partnering with Levi’s to create the Commuter Jacket, using its patented Project Jacquard fabric. Incorporating conductive threads, the jacket — which becomes available this year for around $500 — works with a Bluetooth cuff and the wearer’s smartphone to facilitate such functionalities as playing music at the touch of a sleeve. Securing its spot at the forefront of fashion innovation, Google has also collaborated with H&M-owned digital fashion house Ivyrevel on the so-called ‘Data Dress’. In 2018, the brand will release an Android app that monitors a user’s activity for one week, gathering data on how they travel, where they eat and what the weather is doing. This data will then be used to create a completely personalised garment, which the customer can order
