Fashioning Tech
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      Kinetic Couture: Introducing the Butterfly Dress

      January 25, 2017

      Fashion

      Kate Spade Brings Whimsy to Wearables

      August 29, 2016

      Fashion

      Aerochromics: Pollution Monitoring Garments Aim to Become A Sixth Skin

      August 17, 2016

      Fashion

      ‎BODYSONG‬./Glitchaus GLITCHJK Jacquard Bomber Jacket

      February 27, 2016

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      3D Print and the Jewellery Industry: An Overview

      December 11, 2015

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      Biomimicry and Sports Apparel

      August 15, 2016

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      Bring A Little Bling To Your Workout with Misfit’s Solar-Powered Activity Trackers Made From Swarovski Crystals

      January 6, 2015

      Fitness

      Wearables in Contemporary Ballet

      November 18, 2014

      Fitness

      Fibers Software Transforms Your Fuelband Data into Art

      August 19, 2014

      Fitness

      Adidas Reissues Micropacer OG

      August 14, 2014

  • Healthcare
    • Healthcare

      Fashionable therapy brightens winter SADness

      July 30, 2015

      Healthcare

      Lightwear: An Exploration in Wearable Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder

      February 4, 2015

      Healthcare

      Vigour — A Gorgeous Wearable For Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy

      December 18, 2014

      Healthcare

      Space: What to wear?

      June 7, 2014

      Healthcare

      E-textile Pillow for Communication Between Dementia Patients and Family

      November 5, 2013

  • Wearables UX
    • Wearables UX

      Moff: Wearable Smart Toy For Kids

      August 21, 2014

      Wearables UX

      Temporary NFC Tattoo

      July 29, 2014

      Wearables UX

      Wearable Tech Guide to SXSW

      March 7, 2014

      Wearables UX

      PixMob’s LED beanies light up the SuperBowl by turning the crowd into human pixels

      February 3, 2014

      Wearables UX

      Cadbury Joy Jackets

      January 16, 2014

  • Interviews
    • Interviews

      Interview with Davide Vigano of Heapsylon

      April 30, 2014

      Interviews

      Make It Wearable Video Series by Creators Project

      April 3, 2014

      Interviews

      Interview with Sparkfun’s Dia Campbell

      March 26, 2014

      Interviews

      Interview with Julia Koerner

      March 20, 2014

      Interviews

      Interview with Akseli Reho from Clothing Plus

      March 17, 2014

  • Materials
    • Materials

      Conductive Tattoos Turn Your Skin Into An Interface

      August 24, 2016

      Materials

      Biofabrication: The New Revolution in Material Design

      August 23, 2016

      Materials

      Aerochromics: Pollution Monitoring Garments Aim to Become A Sixth Skin

      August 17, 2016

      Materials

      Biomimicry and Sports Apparel

      August 15, 2016

      Materials

      Smart Fabrics Conference May 11 – 13

      April 27, 2015

  • DIY
    • DIY

      Techno Textiles – Concordia University

      January 18, 2016

      DIY

      Smart Fabrics + Wearable Technology 2015 Review

      July 8, 2015

      DIY

      Explore and Learn from the Students of the Wearables Class at CCA

      April 19, 2015

      DIY

      Make It Wearable Winners

      November 4, 2014

      DIY

      JPG Data Knit Blanket Series from Glitchaus

      September 22, 2014

  • About

Fashioning Tech

for fashion futurists & wearable tech enthusiasts

  • Home
  • Fashion
    • Fashion

      Kinetic Couture: Introducing the Butterfly Dress

      January 25, 2017

      Fashion

      Kate Spade Brings Whimsy to Wearables

      August 29, 2016

      Fashion

      Aerochromics: Pollution Monitoring Garments Aim to Become A Sixth Skin

      August 17, 2016

      Fashion

      ‎BODYSONG‬./Glitchaus GLITCHJK Jacquard Bomber Jacket

      February 27, 2016

      Fashion

      3D Print and the Jewellery Industry: An Overview

      December 11, 2015

  • Fitness
    • Fitness

      Biomimicry and Sports Apparel

      August 15, 2016

      Fitness

      Bring A Little Bling To Your Workout with Misfit’s Solar-Powered Activity Trackers Made From Swarovski Crystals

      January 6, 2015

      Fitness

      Wearables in Contemporary Ballet

      November 18, 2014

      Fitness

      Fibers Software Transforms Your Fuelband Data into Art

      August 19, 2014

      Fitness

      Adidas Reissues Micropacer OG

      August 14, 2014

  • Healthcare
    • Healthcare

      Fashionable therapy brightens winter SADness

      July 30, 2015

      Healthcare

      Lightwear: An Exploration in Wearable Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder

      February 4, 2015

      Healthcare

      Vigour — A Gorgeous Wearable For Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy

      December 18, 2014

      Healthcare

      Space: What to wear?

      June 7, 2014

      Healthcare

      E-textile Pillow for Communication Between Dementia Patients and Family

      November 5, 2013

  • Wearables UX
    • Wearables UX

      Moff: Wearable Smart Toy For Kids

      August 21, 2014

      Wearables UX

      Temporary NFC Tattoo

      July 29, 2014

      Wearables UX

      Wearable Tech Guide to SXSW

      March 7, 2014

      Wearables UX

      PixMob’s LED beanies light up the SuperBowl by turning the crowd into human pixels

      February 3, 2014

      Wearables UX

      Cadbury Joy Jackets

      January 16, 2014

  • Interviews
    • Interviews

      Interview with Davide Vigano of Heapsylon

      April 30, 2014

      Interviews

      Make It Wearable Video Series by Creators Project

      April 3, 2014

      Interviews

      Interview with Sparkfun’s Dia Campbell

      March 26, 2014

      Interviews

      Interview with Julia Koerner

      March 20, 2014

      Interviews

      Interview with Akseli Reho from Clothing Plus

      March 17, 2014

  • Materials
    • Materials

      Conductive Tattoos Turn Your Skin Into An Interface

      August 24, 2016

      Materials

      Biofabrication: The New Revolution in Material Design

      August 23, 2016

      Materials

      Aerochromics: Pollution Monitoring Garments Aim to Become A Sixth Skin

      August 17, 2016

      Materials

      Biomimicry and Sports Apparel

      August 15, 2016

      Materials

      Smart Fabrics Conference May 11 – 13

      April 27, 2015

  • DIY
    • DIY

      Techno Textiles – Concordia University

      January 18, 2016

      DIY

      Smart Fabrics + Wearable Technology 2015 Review

      July 8, 2015

      DIY

      Explore and Learn from the Students of the Wearables Class at CCA

      April 19, 2015

      DIY

      Make It Wearable Winners

      November 4, 2014

      DIY

      JPG Data Knit Blanket Series from Glitchaus

      September 22, 2014

  • About
Author

Syuzi Pakhchyan

Materials & Manufacturing

Sewn by Bots: Is Automation the Key to Achieving Sustainable Fashion?

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

Automation has been the holy grail of sustainable fashion. But unlike the manufacturing of mobile phones for example, the sewing of clothing has been tricky to automate because fabric is flexible and a robot’s clumsy claws aren’t agile for the precise task.

Sewbo is one of the first industrial robots who is able to sew a T-Shirt in under 30 seconds. The genius isn’t necessarily in the robotic engineering, but in the clever process of chemically stiffening the fabric temporarily so it can be sewn. The fabric is then washed and the chemical stiffener recycled.

What automated sewing promises is not only an end to the questionable labor practices abroad, but the ability for mass customization and made-to-order garments locally. This implies dramatically reducing the overproduction of garments that eventually end up in our landfills.

For wearable technology, this has a huge implication as the need for scale to make wearable technology more affordable is dramatically reduced. Niche manufacturing of products that serve specific needs for smaller populations become feasible and affordable. Customization of garments such as the ability to precisely map sensors woven into fabrics to an individual’s 3d body scan become possible.

Living in Los Angeles, the first question to come to mind is if we are substituting one unsustainable practice for another as the need to wash and dry every single garment takes up one of the most precious resources we have: water.

Sewn by Bots: Is Automation the Key to Achieving Sustainable Fashion? was last modified: February 23rd, 2017 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
February 23, 2017 0 comment
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Fashion

Kinetic Couture: Introducing the Butterfly Dress

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

Thanks to Intel’s persistent vision of partnering engineers with fashion designers, we are seeing an emergence of ideas that weave technology into garments primarily as vehicles for self-expression.

The latest is the etherial butterfly dress from Turkish couture designers Ezra and Tuba Çetin. Using the Intel Edison coupled with a proximity sensor, approximately 40 butterflies flap and then dramatically take flight as an individual approaches the wearer.

This type of kinetic fashion is reminiscent of the groundbreaking work of Hussein Chalayan and is quickly become a trend as more and more fashion designers begin to experiment with the expressive potential of technology.

Kinetic Couture: Introducing the Butterfly Dress was last modified: January 25th, 2017 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
January 25, 2017 0 comment
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Events

WTS – Smart Technology Show 2016

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

wts-usa-inclusive-logo

Get ready for the WTS Smart Technology conference taking place next month on Oct 4-5 in Santa Clara, CA. The conference spans topics across  four distinct fields — IOT, Wearables, AR/VR, and Digital Healthcare — with speakers from startups to corporations providing their insight and learnings.

Keynotes will be given by Andrew Moore, Product Manager at Under Armour, Yasi Baini of Fitbit, and Ben O’Brien, CEO of Stretchsense.

wts-speakers

And I’m delighted to announce that I will be both speaking and moderating a panel.

Check out a few panels below:
ARE WEARABLES AFFECTING FASHION?
Our panel discusses whether the current focus on wearable gadgets are limiting the potential integration of fashion and technology.

Moderator:
Josh Bradshaw, Business Strategy & Marketing Consultant, WorkTechWork.com

Panelists:
Syuzi Pakhchyan, Experience Lead, BCG Digital Ventures

Diego Saez Gil, Co-Founder & CEO, Bluesmart

Karl J. Weaver, OEM Business Development Director, North America & Northeast Asia, Oasis Smart SIM

 

HEALTH & FITNESS – WHAT’S ON OFFER

Ways of monitoring biometrics measurements, perspiration levels, alcohol levels and body temperature are available soon to the market. Our panel discuss these upcoming health and fitness orientated devices.

Moderator:
Mike Feibus, Principal & President, FeibusTech

Panelists:
Riaan Conradie, COO & Co-Founder, LifeQ

Andrew Moore, Product Manager, Connected Fitness, Under Armour

Mary Liz McCurdy, Global Head of Health & Fitness BD, Google Play

Davide Vigano, Co-Founder & CEO, Sensoria

Register today and receive 30% discount with code WTSLINKUSA16.

Hope to see you there!

wts

WTS – Smart Technology Show 2016 was last modified: September 9th, 2016 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
September 9, 2016 0 comment
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Fashion

Kate Spade Brings Whimsy to Wearables

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

Smart watches embossed with “cheers;” activity trackers embellished with feline motifs; and bangles crafted with a mix of technology and pearls are Kate Spade’s latest take on wearable tech.

In the hands of fashion, wearables shed their athletic threads and, to my delight, get dressed up in cloak of whimsy. Kate Spade certainly won’t be the last to reinterpret wearable tech accessories from silicon valley for the runaway thanks largely to Fossil Group.

At CES this year, Fossil Group announced that they were planning on launching over 100 wearables for several brands in 2016.

You can expect a unique point of view on wearable accessories (at least from an aesthetic lens) from companies like Michael Kors, Diesel, Skagen and Emporio Armani.

What does this mean for wearables with this upcoming storm?

It suggests that activity trackers and basic smart watch functionality have in the span of five years become a commodity; so much so that aesthetics not utility will be the primary motivator that gets individuals to purchase and wear wearable technology.

Maybe soon we can stop calling wearables “wearables” and start calling them by a more traditional descriptor such as “bracelet” or “watch.”

On that note, the Kate Spade silicone “bracelets” will be available in September and will run you around $150.

Kate Spade Brings Whimsy to Wearables was last modified: August 29th, 2016 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
August 29, 2016 0 comment
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Materials

Conductive Tattoos Turn Your Skin Into An Interface

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

Conductive Tattoos Turn Your Skin Into An Interface was last modified: August 24th, 2016 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
August 24, 2016 0 comment
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Materials

Biofabrication: The New Revolution in Material Design

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

Leather grown in a lab; parkas made from protein; and textiles printed from algae are a few examples of how designers are using synthetic biology to craft a more sustainable future for fashion. Just as nylon and other chemically, engineered synthetic fabrics shaped the fashion industry in the 1950s and 60s, the next material revolution is poised to combine biology and chemistry to offer something undisputedly new and different.

Below are four young companies engineering the future of sustainable fashion creating the most powerful mix of nature and technology.

Modern Meadow

suzanne-leeSuzanne Lee, the Creative Chief Officer of Modern Meadow, has a built a reputation on being a thought leader on the future of fashion. Her book “Fashioning the Future : Tomorrow’s Wardrobe” is hands down my favorite book on fashion futurism and remains relevant today.

Modern Meadow recently closed a $40M series B round to commercialize biofabricated leather grown from collagen from an animal’s cells and engineered to custom structural and aesthetic requirements.

Spiber

Spiber has an ambitious mission statement: To make a huge impact on the world by “maximizing things that bring goodness to others.” What this translates too is a lofty endeavor to use proteins to create the next generation of sustainable materials. Unlike Modern Meadow, Spiber is investigating synthetic spider silk in hopes to translate the complex combination of amino acids into an industrial material.

Their first prototype created on a manufacturing line is the Moon Parka made in collaboration with North Face. Made with spider fibroin-based protein material QMONOS, the Moon Parka is designed to endure the harsh conditions of the south pole.

MuSkin

MuSkin is another leather alternative made from mushrooms. The material feels like suede and boasts performance properties such as breathability and is a natural water repellent.

The best part is that material is available today and can be purchased here.

BioBots

BioBots is a 3D bioprinter that can print tissues. The machine uses a variety of available bioinks that work with a various cell types. The cost of BioBot is around 10K making tissue printing relatively affordable.

Lastly, if you’re curious to grow your own microbial cellulose, here is a video to get you started:

Biofabrication: The New Revolution in Material Design was last modified: August 23rd, 2016 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
August 23, 2016 0 comment
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FashionMaterials

Aerochromics: Pollution Monitoring Garments Aim to Become A Sixth Skin

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

aerochromics_01Speculative design is a provocative tool that generates more conversations than sales. Writing speculative future narratives challenge designers to focus more on the “why” with end results that typically straddle the world of art and design, technology and fiction, commerce and social good.

sketch-aerochronics

Aerochromics is a speculative fashion project crafted by Nikolas Bentel that imagines a future dystopia marred by pollution. The environmentally reactive garments become a tool to bring awareness to environmental pollution — making the invisible toxins that we breathe visible.

The garments react to three pollutants: carbon monoxide, particle pollution and radioactivity.

Aerochormics-Animation

The carbon monoxide detecting sweaters change color when the pollutant is detected and return to its normal state when the toxin is no longer in the environment. The garments work in a similar fashion to carbon monoxide spot detectors.

Aerochormics-Animation-02

Unlike the carbon monoxide sweaters, the particle pollution detecting garments use electronics to sense pollution and, in response, heat areas of the garment printed with thermochromic dyes.

The last wearable is a reactive radioactivity shirt uses another smart dye that changes color in response to gamma or electron beam radiation. The clever part of the design is that the shirt loses its capability to switch back to its normal state once you have been overexposed to too much radiation.

Unlike other similar projects ( e.g. CO2 dress by Diffus or the Aegis Parka by Nieuwe Heren) Aerochromics garments will be available for sale at a future date.

via Core77

Aerochromics: Pollution Monitoring Garments Aim to Become A Sixth Skin was last modified: August 17th, 2016 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
August 17, 2016 0 comment
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FitnessMaterials

Biomimicry and Sports Apparel

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

SKYNFEEL_SHOOT1941-round1SKYNFEEL_SHOOT2366-v3-1024x682 (1)

The best athletic wear is typically designed to enhance performance — without sacrificing style of course. Pauline Van Dongen’s latest collaboration with Skynfeel — a condom brand none-the-less — translates an atypical material into experimental performance apparel for long jumpers.

SKYNFEEL_SHOOT2634-round2

SKYNFEEL_SHOOT2972-round1-948x1024

SKYNFEEL_SHOOT2366-v3-1024x682

SKYNFEEL_SHOOT2821-round1-copyLR-1024x683

The long jump suit is designed with “dragonfly wing-inspired” flaps that remain flat during the run but open wide during the jump when the athlete twists and turns. The flaps are constructed from a thin layer of latex and reinforces by a geometric laser cut grid. The claim is that the aerodynamic design results in more airtime.

https://fashioningtech.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SkynFeel_Longform_720p.mp4

 

The end result is a lightweight garment inspired by biomimicry. The material explorations are novel, the design desirable, even if the intentions for a condom brand to explore fitness seems at first unconventional.

Biomimicry and Sports Apparel was last modified: August 15th, 2016 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
August 15, 2016 0 comment
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Fashion

Cute Circuit Designs Illuminated Uniforms for Airline Easy Jet

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

Cute Circuit, a longtime pioneer in connected illuminated fashion, has collaborated with Airline Easyjet to design high-tech uniforms for their engineers and in-cabin crew. 

Cabin Crew Uniform

The haute-tech uniform will sport  Cute Circuit’s signature style programmable LEDs on the shoulders and hem. The LED displays on jacket lapels will scroll through your flight number and destination, in case you forget where you’re going. 

The uniforms are also equipped with built-in microphones for communication with the crew. 

Engineer’s Uniform

The engineers’ hoodies are designed to allow them to work hands-free and in the dark when inspecting the aircraft. Reflective tape allows for field visibility while built in video cameras for remote diagnosis. 

Very little specifications and details are offered on how the uniforms are genuinely connected to each other and can communicate with remote teams (assuming via a custom mobile device app) but never-the-less the uniforms are a nice marketing product to celebrate the carrier’s 20th anniversary. 

Why is this important?

As we see more concept wearables embraced by industry, it moves us one step closer to examining what the near future will hold when our work uniforms and everyday fashion are enhanced with technology. 

via Telegraph

Cute Circuit Designs Illuminated Uniforms for Airline Easy Jet was last modified: November 10th, 2015 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
November 10, 2015 0 comment
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Materials

Smart Fabrics Conference May 11 – 13

written by Syuzi Pakhchyan

If you can only attend one wearable technology conference this year, then Smart Fabrics 2105 should be at the top of your list. What differentiates this conference from all the others is its diversity of speakers. From researchers working in corporations and academic institutions to design consultancies imagining the user experience of future wearables, the Smart Fabrics conference offers you the opportunity to meet divergent thinkers all invested in the future of wearable technology. 

The Smart Fabrics conference takes place May 11 -13 at the Hyatt Regenchy in San Fancisco. And as a member of the Fashioning Tech community, you’re in luck! Use the code FT15 for a $200 discount. 

Hope to see you there! 

Some highlights from the agenda are presented below. You can access full agenda here. 

Workshop: Hacking the Tiny Screen

May 11, 2014: 8:00- 11:30

In this 3-hour workshop with Margarita Benitez and Markus Vogl participants will work with the TinyScreen to create their own wearable device. The amazingly tiny screened pendant features the possibility of playing video or image slideshows or working with other TinyCircuit modules to create other tiny applications. During the workshop we will walk through the specs of the hardware, video or image conversion and uploading your image or video sequence to the TinyScreen hardware. We will have cases available but will also cover the basics on designing a case for the TinyScreen and will have a 3D printer on hand if you want to print your own design. At the end we will cover other add-on modules that are available via TinyCircuits and speak to other possible applications that the TinyScreen can be used for.

Expanding World Views for Wearable Design

Denise Gershbein | Executive Creative Director of Frog Design

s technology evolves, we can see design moving closer and closer to the body – from wearables and smart fabrics as we know them today, to the embedded technologies of the future. These advancements are impacting human interactions within the context of society at large, and even driving us to reconsider who we are as individuals. Understanding social, educational, philosophical and other related frameworks becomes increasingly relevant, because the way people chose to adorn or modify themselves physically can heavily impact their personal identity and their place in society. As design gets closer to the body, designers must expand their world view as they change the meaning of what it means to be human. 

The Hardware Challenge: Going From Prototype to High Volume Manufacturing

Scott Miller | CEO and Co-Founder of Dragon Innovation

Fueled by 3D Printing, Arduino and Raspberry Pi, and crowdfunding, getting from idea to prototype has never been easier. However, the journey from prototype through manufacturing to finished product in customers’ hands remains a challenge. Many well-funded and technologically savvy teams fail to survive the manufacturing journey. In his presentation Scott N. Miller will discuss some of the common failure points and how to successfully avoid them. His mission is to help hardware companies successfully bridge the gap between prototype and high volume manufacturing.

Smart Fabrics Conference May 11 – 13 was last modified: April 27th, 2015 by Syuzi Pakhchyan
April 27, 2015 0 comment
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