ZEITGUIDE ‘FASHION’ IMAGE BY KRIS PORTER

Why can’t we go a day without reading about wearables?

It’s because we are finally seeing the convergence of fashion and science as tech companies are partnering with fashion brands to make wearable technologies less geek, more chic.

Over the past few years, wearables have gained traction primarily among sports and fitness nuts who track their workouts with devices like the Nike Fuelband and Jawbone UP.

Now there are more fashionable options. Designer Tory Burch has teamed up with Fitbit to create stylish activity trackers ranging from necklaces to bronze bracelets. Google Glass has contracted with luxury optical design house Luxottica. Intel (which is working on a sensor-packed shirt) collaborated with Opening Ceremony to create the MICA bracelet, which pairs with smartphones to show text messages, meeting alerts, and notifications. Aysegul Ildeniz, vice president and general manager of Intel’s New Devices Group said, “consumers don’t want something that looks ugly and techy and plastic-y.”

Then, of course, there’s Apple, which is poised to drop its Vogue-approved Apple Watch. Available in multiple finishes and configurations, it’s a wrist computer with mail, messages, calls, health monitoring, and built-in Apple Pay.

Dick Tracy would be proud.

Start-ups are jumping into the fray too. SF-based Cuff is disguising wearables as jewelry. Ringly is taking orders for rings that vibrate on your finger when your cell phone receives a call, message, or notification. No more missing texts when your smart phone is at the bottom of your purse. Wearable Solar unveiled a prototype dress that charges a cell phone.

Will wearables be just another passing fad, though?

ZEITGUIDE friend and tech consultant Melanie Cornwell doesn’t think so. “These first-wave collaborations with fashion designers, many who understand seamless consumer experience design better than most tech companies, have the potential to transcend the experimental into the must-have.”

After all, this is a $700 million dollar industry we are talking about, and it’s estimated to reach $1.4 billion by 2016.

Keep Learning,

Brad Grossman & Team ZEITGUIDE