WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND STARTUP SCENE IN FASHION TECH IN COLLABORATION WITH INTESA SANPAOLO INNOVATION CENTER

Transcription

1 Global Fashion Technology Trends WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND STARTUP SCENE IN FASHION TECH IN COLLABORATION WITH INTESA SANPAOLO INNOVATION CENTER

2 INDEX 1. Five major global trends in fashion Sustainability See now buy now strategies The end of the designers era Omni-channel marketing Wearable technologies 2. Global startup scene in Fashion Technology 3. Fashion and Wearable Technology: Case studies 4. Fashion and Smart Fabrics: Case studies 3. Conclusions

3 Five Major Global Trends in Fashion 1. SUSTAINABILITY 2. SEE NOW BUY NOW STRATEGIES 3. THE END OF THE DESIGNERS ERA 4. OMNI-CHANNEL MARKETING 5. WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES

4 1. Sustainability 1/2 All over the world, the sustainable practices are introduced into every step of the fashion production cycle, be it design, sourcing, production, or retail. In sourcing, the manufacturers are looking to increase the traceability of the raw materials, as well as to use the recycled or organic fibers. We observe global associations of raw materials manufactures, such as Cotton Leads, to commit to use the latest technology to produce sustainable fibre, fully traceable from farm to finished garment. A number of technologies are being developed to create eco-friendly fabrics from unconventional materials such as milk, tea, or coffee beans. New textiles are also created from recycled materials, ranging from fabric itself, to plastic bags or bottles. Designers and brands are increasingly applying innovative manufacturing, dyeing, printing and washing processes to reduce water and energy usage. Introduction of innovative dyeing technologies that allow to transfer the dyes to fabric in a one-step process, results in saving up to 75 gallons of water and up to 85 percent energy in the dyeing of a pound of fabric, and produces no harmful by-products. 66% of global respondents are willing to pay more for sustainable goods *2015 Nielsen Global Corporate Sustainability Report.

5 1. Sustainability 2/2 Digital printing, a technology used by a number of prominent designers, reduces water usage by 95 percent, energy usage of 75 percent, and minimizes textile waste. 3D printing made its way to the fashion world, not only in a form of pieces of clothing printed with plastic materials, but also as a technology that allows to print fabric itself. In online retail, the new digital technologies are able to match products with customers based on their personal measurements and preferences. This allows to drastically reduce the rate of returns and hence the energy used for shipping, and waste. In order to encourage the brands to apply sustainable practices, new standards and certificates are introduced. In 2014, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute launched Fashion Positive, a certification program for sustainable fashion brands that will allow them to improve their visibility on the global arena. Market data: Wohlers Report for 2014 forcasted the worldwide 3D printing industry to grow from $3.07 billion in revenue in 2013 to $12.8 billion by 2018, and exceed $21 billion in worldwide revenue by In 2015, the industry surpassed $5.1 billion. Since 2011, more than USD 80 mln was raised in funding for the startups providing better fitting solutions for the online platforms.

6 2. See Now Buy Now 1/2 For the past several years, designers and retailers have not been satisfied with the fact that there is a 6 months gap between putting the designs on the catwalk during the fashion shows and in the shops. The luxury brands are experiencing fierce competition from the retailers, who are updating their collections regularly, and have to find ways to bridge this delay. The initiative was taken by Burberry who announced that it would skip the gap and that the new collection was already available in the stores. This move has been supported by Tom Ford, who announced the see now-buy immediately strategy, Rebecca Minkoff, and, on a lesser scale, by Prada, Diane von Furstenberg and Monique Lhuillier who are selling a select few items from the collections just exhibited.

7 2. See Now Buy Now 2/2 One of the reasons cited by the brands is that in the era of social media, where the shows are live-streamed, and the pictures of the new collections are immediately uploaded to Instagram, delaying the sales for half a year creates confusion and misunderstanding with the customers, who cannot be expected to tie-in with the traditional calendar. So the brands are now putting the focus of the shows primarily on consumers instead of editors, buyers, or stylists. Another reason for changing the calendar is that the brands have global presence and their customers live in different climates. Customers demand has to be satisfied in time, because modern customer does not shop early anymore, but buys now to wear now. This trend is backed by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, who announced that it would work with Boston Consulting Group to re-evaluate the traditional twice-yearly format of New York Fashion Week, which takes place in February and September, in order to create an in-depth analysis and road map for the future of Fashion Week. This is one of the newest trends on the fashion horizon, clearly reflecting the strong influence of the social media and customer focus, and it is likely to continue growing. Social media as shopping channel PWC Total Retail Survey 2016

8 3. The End of the Designer s Era One of the latest trends on the fashion scene, demonstrating, yet again, the influence of the social media, is the exit of signature designers from fashion houses. It marks the threshold of a new era, where the artistic directors are not designers any more, but people whose core competence is the ability to craft and communicate a strong point-of-view across a number of channels, encompassing everything from public appearances to the social media. In the course of just several months we ve observed Alexander Wang exit Balenciaga, Alber Elbaz pushed out of Lanvin, and Raf Simons leave Dior. Unlike in earlier instances where the designers became celebrities thanks to their overhauling a famous brand (case in point Tom Ford in Gucci), the tendency now is to hire celebrities who bring along a huge number of followers, although lacking experience in more traditional areas like design. An example of such shift may be the recent appointment by Brioni of Justin O Shea, a former fashion director (buyer) for the luxury website MyTheresa.com, with no designer training, to the position of its Creative Director. O Shea s appointment was announced on new Brioni Instagram account. Since relevance is one of the most sought for features by the brands (which also is reflected in see now-buy now trend), O Shea s prominent street-style presence and a vast amount of publicity - 80,000 Instagram followers, along with his retail experience, are deemed to be a reason for his appointment to a conservative traditional men s wear brand. #Brioni is pleased to announce the appointment of Justin O Shea as new Creative Director. I am deeply honored to undertake this new challenge for such prestigious and celebrated menswear house. It is with great excitement I am looking forward to write a new chapter in the story of

9 4. Omni-Channel Marketing 1/2 Retailers continue to realize that they need to connect with users on multiple channels and touch points simultaneously or even interchangeably, and will give customers the ability to interact and complete transactions on their own terms. When a customer wants to view an item online, purchase it using their phone, and return it by dropping by the store, he or she will be able to do so in a smooth and seamless way. Influence of social media on online shopping behaviour Social media continues to heavily influence product decisions, and, serving as a shopping platform, it grows as a part of the omnichannel mix. Over the last several years, brands have used social media to market their products, talk to customers, and even make merchandising decisions; but in the near future merchants will be adding selling to the list of things they can do on social sites, as has been already done by Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Base: 22,618 PWC Total Retail Survey 2016

10 4. Omni-Channel Marketing 2/2 Retailers are adopting and experimenting with tech innovations in order to figure out how they can use them to improve the shopping experience. Technology is being integrated in brick-and-mortar stores. We currently observe the increased use of POS, beacons, augmented reality (from digital fitting rooms to interactive windows displays), wearables, and 3D printing. Use of technology allows the retailers to provide more personalized shopping experience to the customers. In order to enhance it even more, retailers are investing in the Big Data solutions. Businesses have realized that in order to predict shopper s behavior and provide truly personalized experiences, they would need to gather as much information about the behavior, history, and whereabouts of consumers. Big Data enables retailers to implement dynamic pricing, personalized recommendations, shopper-specific discounts, and more. Use of mobile/smartphones whilst in-store. Base: 22,618 PWC Total Retail Survey 2016

11 4. Wearable Technologies 1/3 The lines between fashion and technology have been blurring for some time, starting from 2012 when Diane Con Furstenberg sent her models down the runway wearing Google Glass addition to their wrap dresses. Although the project did not take off, this event predicted the entrance of the gadgets into the world of fashion. This entrance hasn t been smooth and easy. In her NYT article Why I m breaking up with my Apple Watch in June 2015, writer Vanessa Friedman stated: No matter how attractive the Apple Watch is in the context of other smartwatches or smart bands, no matter how much of an aesthetic advance its rounded corners and rectangular display, it still looks like a gadget." This consumers need found a lively response from the technology companies, and gave a rise to one of the two current major tendencies clearly observed in the field of wearable tech: wearable gadgets take shape of designer pieces through massive and intensive collaboration of the tech producers with designer/fashion houses. What we observe is usually a marriage of an existing hardware, such as health and well being tracking devices or devices with specific functions (i.e., social media or safety) with a designer piece of jewellery. *statista.com

12 4. Wearable Technologies 2/3 Another prominent, and, possibly, more promising trend is the intensive research and development of new smart fabrics. Recent advances in technology have brought together the apparel, technology, and textile industries to develop new capabilities in fabrics with the potential to change how the consumers interact with their clothes and other textile products. We observe different methods of creating such fabrics, that can range from using chemistry to using computer tech, and different functionalities - from fabrics that react to the changes in environment to the fabrics created for pure entertainment. Global startup scene in wearable technology reflects these two trends, with new companies all over the world introducing innovative ideas both in the fields of combining technological devices with fashion products and creating textile materials of the future. Market data: According to Gartner, the largest and fastest growing category of the wearable tech market is expected to be smart garments, which are predicted to grow from 100,000 units shipped in 2014 to 26 million units shipped in 2016.

13 4. Wearable Technologies 3/3 Italian Wearable Technology Scene As of beginning of 2016 there were innovative startups registered in Italy.* 20% of these companies are located in Piedmont, followed by Sardinia on the second place with 15%. Lombardy, Tuscany, Sicily, Lazio, Friuli Venezia Giulia follow with 10% each.** Most of these companies are well established, 48% are long time active S.R.Ls, where startups come close second with 36%. The reason for such distirbution is thought to be high entry barriers, in terms of heavy investments needed and lack of competent cross-industrial specialists. There are, however, single instances of fashion tech projects in Italy, both startups and industry leaders. Circle Garage, a startup from Genoa, presented its smart watch HIRIS last year in Consumer electronic Show in Las Vegas. Colmar, an apparel production copany has partnered with Directa Plus to create World s First Graphene-Enhanced Sportswear. Distribution of wearable tech companies across the industries in Italy** * aster.it **wearable.to, wired.it

14 Wearable Technology and Fashion: Current Trends and and and After several years since the introduction of gadgets in people s everyday lives, the tech companies started to look at the fashion companies in order to help put the "wear" in wearables. Tech Collaboration between established tech companies and fashion brands, fitting existing technologies into fashionable objects Fashion Smart Fabrics Simultaneously, the development of the technology allows designers to implement their most futuristic ideas using the smart fabrics. Their vision is that in the future every piece of tech, like phones or cameras, is going to disappear and will be integrated into the garment, and the consumer will decide what this garment needs to do. Independent companies, research centers, and startups exploring new ideas and technologies

15 Global Startup Scene in Fashion Tech: Global Distribution The technology continues to advance at somewhat an astonishing rate, giving rise to new ideas and the young people who are ready to revolutionize the industry. Worldwide, from East to West, we can observe a growing number of startups, raising funds to implement the innovative solutions responding to the ever growing demand from the customers for wearable tech. *techcrunch.com

16 Global Startup Scene in Fashion Tech Investment Landscape 1/2 For the last 4 years, more than USD 2 bln were invested in the fashion tech startups, more than USD 100 mln in the seed stages and the rest in venture rounds. Over the past three years, more than 90% of the startups accepted by the NY Fashion Tech Lab have been developing the solutions for the omni-channel marketing. *The data in absolute values about the number of active startups, worldwide or per country, is not published publicly. Angel.co is the only source which provides the most accurate estimate in terms of ratio of fashion tech startups to the total number of startups, as compared to other online sources on the topic.

17 Global Startup Scene in Fashion Tech Investment Landscape 2/2 Accel Partners is the most active investor in the scene with a portfolio of 9 companies and over USD 250 mln in investments. Matrix Partners has the biggest overall amount of investments of more than USD 420 mln. Most of the investments are made in the e-commerce sector. *techcrunch.com

18 Fashion and Wearable Technology: Case-studies

19 Collaboration: Ralph Lauren/OMsignal Tech Features: Ralph Lauren has launched a wearable tech apparel collection, beginning with a "Polo Tech" shirt that gives biometric feedback to the wearer. A variety of sensors knitted into garment allow it to measure heart rate (and the variability thereof), breathing rates, breathing depth, steps and calories burned. The sensors include an ECG, a breathing sensor and, to clock movement, an accelerometer and gyroscope. All of that data is recorded in a little black box attached at the wearer's ribcage and transmitted via Bluetooth to an accompanying iphone app. The fabric itself is anti-microbial and moisturewicking.

20 Collaboration: Apple/Hermes Tech Features: In an attempt to address the critique that Apple has received for the design of the Apple Watch, the company teamed up with the French luxury fashion house to produce a range of leather watch bands with a custom digital face that recalls the Hermes Cape Cod. The reviews have been mildly positive, stating that the watches are genuinely attractive, looking first like a luxury watch, and second like a gadget.

21 Collaboration: Misfit / Swarovski Tech Features: Founded in 2011, Misfit Wearables is now a well-established company initially positioned as a is a hardware company that designs and manufactures wearable products that utilize sensor technology. Now it is actively collaborating with fashion houses and designers. One most recent example of such collaboration is Swarovski activity tracking jewelry. The Swarovski Activity crystal allows the user to define her personal fitness goal, track her everyday activities, including running and swimming, check her activity progress and see stats like steps, calories, and distance on the smartphone. There is also a social media function that allows the user s friends to view each other s accomplishments and compete.

22 Collaboration: Open Ceremony/INTEL Tech Features: The collaboration of the technological giant and a New York based fashion brand has resulted in creation of the bracelet called MICA ("My Intelligent Communication Accessory"), which integrates luxury fashion with technology. The bracelet lets users receive, dismiss, and quick-reply to text messages, , and Facebook or Google notifications. Notifications are received via vibration-based alerts and viewed on a sapphire touchscreen display through AT&T wireless data service. Features include a curated VIP contact list and customizable quick replies, eliminating the need to search through a bottomless handbag or interrupt a meeting or event to address a mobile device.

23 Collaboration: Jawbone / BaubleBar Tech Features: San Francisco based company, the world leader in consumer technology and wearable devices, Jawbone, entered into collaboration with the jewelry designer BaubleBar. The BaubleBar team created three styles of bracelets to fit Jawbone s Up Move, a device that tracks the user s activity, sleep and calories. The bracelets look like watches with a square-shaped face (to hold the Jawbone wearable) that's accented with studs or crystals.

24 STELLE AUDIO Tech Features: The company produces and markets a portable, wirelss, bluetooth speaker, speakerphone and functional clutch all in one. It offers the best in sound quality and design. It effortlessly pairs with any Bluetooth-enabled device, has a built-in speakerphone for hands-free calls, opens to reveal a mirror, has a pocket for daily essentials, can connect to non-bluetooth devices via aux-in jack and if your phone is running out of battery, it can charge any USB enabled device.

25 UNDER ARMOUR Tech Features: The company has released the shoe with the built-in ability to track the user s runs. A lightweight, dime-sized chip embedded in the midsole of the shoes wakes every time the user moves the shoe and senses a run whenever a person starts moving faster than 11 minutes per mile and begins tracking the runner using built-in accelerometers that measure the stride dynamics. The shoes do not require the use of the smartphone, although it is able to transfer all the stored data to the MapMyRun app (belonging to the company) via Bluetooth. On the app the user will be able to see the distance, time, and pace. If not synced with the app, the chip will save up to five runs before starting to overwrite them.

26 Ducere Technologies Tech Innovative Idea: The Indian startup Ducere Technologies has created the Lechal sneakers, which insoles the sync with Google Maps and an app to help the wearer move from one place to another with the help of vibrating alerts in the wearable device. The vibrations are delivered to the feet from a small module inside the heel of the shoe. Once you enter your destination onto the app, you'll get a vibration alert every time you have to turn right or left in your right or left shoe respectively. Both the insoles and the shoe are connected to the Smartphone of the wearer via Bluetooth. Benefits: Easy navigation in unknown places; possibility of group journey, which allows a group of Lechal users heading to the same destination from different start-points to link their travel; fitness tracking device. Apart from these features, it may be used as a navigation tool for people with impaired sight. /

27 Miragii Tech Innovative Idea: a smart pendant projects a text message or an alert of an incoming call directly on the user s hand. If she wants to take the call, she can insert the Bluetooth earpiece, tucked in the back of the device, in her ear. If she doesn t feeling like talking, she can dismiss it with the wave of a hand. Employing an accompanying app for Android or ios devices, the wearer can scroll through text messages or social networking feeds on her hand. Benefits: it is a perfect accessory for the on-the-go, fashionable woman. Armed with a tiny projector and a Bluetooth earpiece, it allows the wearer to text and call without grabbing her smartphone.

28 OMsignal Tech Innovative Idea: This Canadian startup has created a family of smart objects (OM shirt, OM Smart box and OM Smart App) that acts like a personal coach, making fitness more fun and helping the user to achieve his or her fitness goals quicker. This technology was used in the Ralph Lauren s Polo Tech. Apart from that the company produces the line of its own smart shirts and has just launched the new smart bra collection. Benefits: The bra tracks the user s breathing rhythm, level of fatigue, and biometric effort and other important criteria. It is made from a blend of polyester, nylon and elastane. It also serves as an absorbent to pressure, and reduces stress on the back and shoulders. Mesh panels are integrated on the front and back of the bra for breathability. The fabrics and meshes are antimicrobial with sweat-wicking properties to keep you dry.

29 Hermes Innovation Ltd. Tech Innovative Idea: SAY device is the first social experience that was specifically designed for wearables. It incorporates a wearable device into a customized social network, empowering people to customize the external appearance with exclusive graphical content of their choice to suit any fad, mood, whim, or fancy. SAY provides a marketplace for SAY jewelry & accessories to allow fashionable styles and wear options, and a marketplace for content that can be downloaded to wear on the Say device. Benefits: Social Jewelry a new product line that features designer state-of-theart branded wearable devices, along with the added value of engaging customers via content and messaging within a branded social community

30 SIREN Tech Innovative idea: New York city based company, SIREN has created a powerful new category of protective accessories for women, discreetly equipped with a directional 114+ db alarm that activates instantly during an emergency. Their patented modular technology offers consumers an effective, appealing, and universal resource for effortless wearable security. Benefits: By concealing miniature patented technology which, when activated, emits a shockingly loud alarm inside jewelry, SIREN empowers women by providing them with the critical seconds needed to startle, overwhelm and deter an assailant, and potentially prevent the escalation of an attack.

31 CAEDEN Tech Innovative idea: New York based Caeden created a bracelet that unlike other activity trackers, focuses on overall well being instead of weight loss or steps. Sona bracelet monitors subtle changes in heart rate to let the user know when he or she feels stressed. Then the companion app walks the user through a designed breathing exercise and meditation program called Resonance to help you him or her down Benefits: the bracelet helps users improve mind and body wellness through activity tracking, being a fashionable accessory that would fit a casual outfit as well as a cocktail dress.

32 Leaf Wearables Tech Innovative Idea: An Indian startup has come up with an idea of SAFER, a smart safety wearable device that triggers an alarm and sends signals to preidentified phone numbers in the event of an emergency. Benefits: If the user presses their SAFER twice, an alert with the location will be sent to their respective guardians. A notable feature of SAFER s app is SaferWalk, which enables the user to plug in their starting point and destination if they feel the route is unsafe. The users pre-designated individuals can monitor the map and virtually accompany them until the user has reached their desired destination, from which point live tracking can be disabled.

33 HIRIS Tech Innovative Idea: An Italian startup has invented HIRIS, a smartwatch that allows wearers to control their connected home devices using various gestures like wrist turning and clapping, as well as many other things like fitness and 3D tracking. Benefits: From monitoring one s heart rate, temperature and fitness performance to enabling the user to control almost any connected device, HIRIS is said to be the only wearable computer that brings style and infinite functionality together as one. As an example of the home automation control, users can set the watch to turn on a connected light by clapping a few times, then to turn brighter or dimmer when one's wrist is turned. This same gesturebased control can be used to turn up music volume and more.

34 Fashion and Smart Fabrics: Case-studies

35 Collaboration: Google / Levi Strauss Smart Fabrics Features: In the Project Jacquard the two companies collaborate on making clothing from specially woven fabric with touch-screen control capabilities, which is done by weaving conductive threads into fabric. Conductivity can be limited to desired parts of fabric or spread across entire cloth. Conductive yarn is connected to tiny circuits, no bigger than jacket buttons, with miniaturized electronics that can use algorithms to recognize touches or swipes.anything involving fabric, from suits or dresses to furniture or carpet, could potentially have computer touch-pad style control capabilities woven. The data can be sent wirelessly to smartphones or other devices, enabling actions such as making phone calls or sending messages with brushes of fabric.

36 Collaboration: Colmar / Directa Plus Smart Fabrics Features: the new line of clothing launched by Colmar incorporates graphene, an innovative nanotech material derived from graphite, using the technology of Directa Plus. Key characteristic of these clothes is their ability to act as a filter between the body and the external environment, always ensuring the ideal temperature for the wearer. The warmth produced by the human body is dispersed in warm climates and preserved and distributed evenly in cold climates. In addition, because the fabrics treated with Graphene Plus are electrostatic and bacteriostatic, they are able to reduce the friction with air and water to enable top sporting performance.

37 Fraunhofer ISC Smart Fabrics Features: A novel material developed by Fraunhofer ISC enables movement measuring sensors to be printed onto textiles. These sensors were incorporated into a prototype shirt called MONI, which features a number of functions but is foremost designed to monitor movement sequences. Since sensor-embedded textile solutions are more challenging and also more expensive, function usually overrides appearance. The new materials developed by Fraunhofer ISC aim to offer a cost-efficient alternative with the extra benefit of more adjustable appearance options. Thanks to its transparency and flexibility, the new sensor material offers freedom of design in colour and form for textiles and garments. As the sensors are much thinner than a human hair and applicable in whatever form, the wearer will hardly notice them embedded in a garment, according to the manufacturer. Smart textiles like this could be employed in health care or assisted living.

38 XelfleX Smart Fabrics Features: Xelflex is a new wearable technology designed by Cambridge Consultants where the garment itself becomes an active motion sensor. Xelflex uses bend-sensitive fiber-optic that are stitched inside the clothing to provide intelligent feedback for athletes without encumbering them with bulking electronics. Until now smart fabrics have had multiple electronic sensors, making them bulky and sensitive to moisture. Xelflex's fiber-optic thread is robust enough for use in sportswear, with only a small, credit cardsized, electronics pack being the only other component. This technology can have a lot of applications, from fitness and sports coaching to physiotherapy, motion capture for gaming and virtual reality applications.

39 CuteCurcuit Smart Fabrics Features: CuteCircuit is a UK based company launched in 2004, that has become an Internationally-known fashion house. A global leader in interactive fashion, CuteCircuit has introduced many groundbreaking ideas to the fashion world by integrating new beauty and functionality through the use of smart textiles and micro-electronics. One of the examples of such pioneering ideas was the famous Twitter dress worn by Nicole Scherzinger for her performance at EE 4G launch in The dress included the latest CuteCircuit Magic Fabric with MicroLEDs that created extraordinary animations and received Tweets in real time from Nicole s fans using the #tweetthedress hashtag while she was on the red carpet during the live stream.

40 Rainbow Winters Smart Fabrics Features: Rainbow Winters gives the 'wow' factor to the entertainment, fashion and advertising industries with interactive wearable design, creating a touchsense-sound multisensory experience. Rainbow Winters has a radically different approach fusing the cutting edge of science with the high-art of fashion to create visually stunning pieces especially made for music videos, rock-concerts, award-ceremonies, advertisements, magazine editorial and red-carpet events. The company creates fabrics and pieces of clothing that react to water, sun, motion, or sound by changing colour and shape.

41 Ying Gao Smart Fabrics Features: This Canadian designer created (NO)WHERE (NOW)HERE interactive dresses using super organza, photoluminescent thread, PVDF, and embedded eye tracking technology. The dresses respond to an observer's gaze by activating tiny motors to move parts of the dresses in mesmerising patterns. One dress is covered in tendrils of photo-luminescent thread that dangle from ruched fabric. On the other, glow-in-the-dark threads form a base layer with fabric cut into ribbons loosely bunched over the top.

42 NeuroCouture Smart Fabrics Features: the company created a projection-mapped parka hooked up to consumer-grade EEG devices. A nearby computer is programmed to detect certain brainwave patterns, then translate them into an animated GIF which is then projected onto the parka as a sort of living animated texture. NeuroCouture combines projection-mapping and brainwave detection to let people clothe themselves in their favorite animated files.

43 Karma Chameleon Smart Fabrics Features: The XSlabs in Canada is developing a collection of interactive electronic garments constructed out of a new generation of composite fibers that are able to harness power directly from the human body, store that energy, and then use it to change their own visual properties. These animated garments will change color and illuminate on the body in response to physical movement. The core technical innovation involves shifting this functionality entirely within the fiber itself. While still in the research phase, the technology can have multiple applications. It can be used as a portable energy source to charge cell phones and other electronics. The yarn could be incorporated into military uniforms to lighten a load of equipment that includes batteries and wires. It could even be used to warm the wearer, or to change and control the physical shape of the garment.

44 Wearable Experiments Smart Fabrics Features: Wearable Experiments is an Australian based startup that specialises in the unique combination of hardware, software and apparel design. The company has invested in the research and developed prototypes with custom circuit boards, haptic feedback, integrated GPS and washable electronics. One example of such product is the Alert Shirt, which merges hardware, software and apparel design for a seamlessly integrated experience. With the shirt, these three elements are woven together with real-time sports data, which is transmitted via a smartphone app to the electronics within the jersey. The Alert Shirt then converts the data into powerful sensations that simulate live sports action for the observers who might be scattered around the world but share the experience.

45 ODO Denim Smart Fabrics Features: The ODO line, features denim jeans that come in a range of styles and a white cotton T-shirt. The garments have two self-cleaning properties. Silver fibres woven into the cotton fabric help combat odours, and a coating on the surface of the fabric helps repel liquid. The ODO garments are also coated with a patent-pending material called NanoSphere, which is proteinbased. Each individual yarn is treated and the surface is made irregular by bonding microscopic nano particles. These particles create a barrier between liquids and the denim.

46 VTT Smart Fabrics Features: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., a leading research and technology company in the Nordic countries, has developed a new technology that takes care of the thermal, moisture and flow-technical behaviour of smart clothing. It is based on the Human Thermal Model calculation tool developed by VTT, enabling the calculation of a person's individual thermal sensation from the prevailing conditions. The technology can lead to clothes with the ability to automatically adjust temperature according to the wearer's actual needs. It can also be applied extensively even in demanding conditions, such as hospitals, nursing homes, and different consumer groups such as police officers, firemen, soldiers, outdoor workers, athletes and small babies.

47 Switch Embassy Smart Fabrics Innovative Idea: Switch Embassy is a wearable technology startup in San Francisco that creates clothing controlled by the wearer via a mobile phone application. It is done through the illuminated e-textile hardware to software platform. The images, text and content on the garments are dynamically changing. This is made possible with the core technology of a mobile controlled washable and wearable luxurious display that is completely undetectable as technology. Benefits: elegant mobile controlled clothing and fabric accessories that change pattern, imagery, and colors, and are instantly customizable to person s outfit, mood, or social feed.

48 Wearable Solar Smart Fabrics Innovative idea: The Netherlands based company, Wearable Solar, has created a coat and a dress made of wool and leather, which produce energy through their integrated solar cells. The coat incorporates 48 rigid solar cells and the dress has 72 flexible solar cells. When worn in full sun for two hours, both garments can generate enough energy to allow a typical smartphone to be 100% charged. The solar cell compartments can be opened and revealed to the sun when needed and folded back when they are not being used. Benefits: Wearable Solar is a sustainable answer to the increasing demand for energy and connectivity, while also anticipating the vastly expanding wearable technology market

49 UNSEEN Smart Fabrics Innovative idea: UNSEEN is a UK based startup that with the use of chemistry creates fabrics that change colours based on the environment and in response to touch, heat, light, wind and air pressure. Basis of the technology lies within scientific compounds and material. The company concepts up scenarios that it wants the surfaces to respond to and then codes the chemicals to achieve it. Benefits: The technology used aims to bring a physical manifestation to digital data. The implications can be manyfold and the process can be used in many industries outside fashion - healthcare, entertainment, or even aircraft building.

50 Dropel Fabrics Smart Fabrics Innovative idea: Dropel Fabrics, based in New York, is the world s first hydrophobic (water and stain repellent) ingredient brand. The company infuses cotton fibers with a patented nanotechnology process to invent water, stain, and odor repellent fabrics. Its proprietary process maintains the softness and breathability of the natural fabrics but is enhanced with the protective properties polyester, without feeling like cardboard. Benefits: Using process innovation and material science, Dropel Fabric is creating a new generation of innovative textiles and wearable technology that can help eliminate stains forever.

51 Voormi Smart Fabrics Innovative idea: Voormi's "Core Construction" is a new production process that allows the Colorado-based startup to weave a technical membrane straight into the fabric of a one-layer item of clothing. It s being called the first major progress in waterproof, breathable fabrics since the advent of Gore-Tex 46 years ago. Benefits: Core Construction is adept at deflecting snow and wind, is warm enough to wear all day on a ski hill, and fits and feels like a sweatshirt. Other applications might include creating a lightweight body armour, or improvements in the apparel worn by troops to protect against chemical and biological threats.

52 CONCLUSIONS

53 Conclusions: Wearable Technology The merging of wearable technologies with fashion has taken two different routes. The producers of various kinds of tracking devices or smart gadgets were looking to add value to their products by making them appealing for the fashion-loving customers. These devices have different functionalities, from fitness trackers to social media adaptive gadgets to entertainment to safety buttons; the feature that is common across all functionalities is that the devices are being integrated into fashionable accessories, such as rings, necklaces and bracelets. The public acceptance comes with varied success, where some brands are more successful than the others in making their customers fall in love with their smart fashionable objects. However, judging by the startup scene in this field, such projects remain quite attractive to the investors. The forward thinking designers and manufacturers prefer another way of marrying fashion with technology - through research, experimentation and creation of smart fabrics. Here, the possibilities are innumerable, as the development of the technology will provide new ways and ideas to create the fabrics that will have the same and even better functionality that the gadgets are able to provide today. There is a lot of research and development going on globally on this subject; we see the established brands actively exploring this field and expect it to grow in the near future.

54 Conclusions: Current Trends in Fashion Industry Although the fashion industry has previously been relatively slow to embrace technology compared to many others industries, the impact that the technology is beginning to have for the future of fashion is immense. The next generation of fashion leaders is changing the way technology and fashion works together to create a more sustainable future. Relevance and staying up to date makes the fashion houses change not only their supply chain practices, but also their marketing and human resources strategies. The brands are trying to keep up with the acceleration of their consumers lives, influenced heavily by social media. More and more fashion brands implement the innovative processes within their supply chain, in order to save resources, reduce waste, and stay socially responsible. The industry develops new standards and certifications to encourage this environmentally responsible behavior. Fashion houses are shifting the production cycle in order for the customers to be able to buy the current collections straight from the catwalk. Major fashion houses are parting ways with their signature designers in order to bring in the people who are able to communicate the brand message through different channels, as opposed to through the product itself. Retailers are pursuing every possible way to contact and interact with their customers through the most touchpoints possible, both offline and online, by exploring and implementing innovative technologies. There is a shift from merging wearable gadgets and fashion objects to researching and experimenting with the technology embedded into the fabrics and textiles.

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