Key spring ready-to-wear clothing shows in four cities—New York, London, Milan, and Paris—took place from Sept. 2 through Oct. 1, resulting in a fresh crop of clothing trends. Jewelers need to take note in order to stock cases with the right pieces to complement the necklines and silhouettes of the season ahead. Wearable technology was among the spring 2015 clothing trends outlined in Fashion Trend Report: 10 Spring 2015 Clothing Trends Jewelers Must Know and Why. Here are five ways to add some high-tech interest to outfits.
5. Technology
Wearable tech was evident in clothing collections by way of laser-cut fabrics at Christian Siriano, Vivienne Tam, and Whistles, as well as in the wearable- tech devices on the wrists of myriad models walking the New York City shows. Apple unveiled its smartwatch that week, and inspired pieces appeared on runways: Rebecca Minkoff–minted bracelets–cum–phone chargers and necklaces linked to phones that buzz upon receipt of email or text and gem-studded My Intelligent Communication Accessory (MICA) bracelets from Intel, among others, were at Opening Ceremony.
5 Wearable Tech and Tech-Inspired Pieces for Spring
Limited-edition Batman watch with 46 mm black PVD-coated steel case, lacquered black emblem, black hornback crocodile strap, and an engraved bat signal featuring black Super-LumiNova technology so it shines, $18,500; RJ-Romain Jerome in collaboration with Warner Bros.
Fitbit tracks wearers’ steps and calories burned and is available for wholesale purchase. Fitbit recently partnered with Tory Burch to debut a line of wristbands and necklaces to track calories burned, among other bits of information. Fitbit bracelet devices start at $99.
MICA (My Intelligent Communication Accessory) bracelets in snakeskin and gemstones are designed by Opening Ceremony, engineered by Intel, and aim to help wearers stay connected via SMS messages and other alerts delivered to the wrist. It is being sold at select Barneys and Opening Ceremony stores this holiday season and will retail for under $1,000, according to CNet.
Ringly rings are linked to cell phones and alert wearers when they receive emails or texts. Right now, they are available for purchase on the company’s website. However, wholesale is “definitely a possibility for the future,” a company spokesperson told JCK. To date, rings retail for $195 to $260.
The Guardian Angel personal safety necklace/bracelet works with an app and links to the wearer’s cell phone. Guardian Angel jewelry allows a woman to press a button on the piece to trigger her phone to ring—a distraction to interrupt an uncomfortable situation—or to notify a friend or family member that she is in distress, simultaneously notifying them of her location by way of a Google maps. It is available for wholesale purchase, and each unit retails for $120. (The Guardian Angel was reported on here by JCK’s Logan Sachon.)
JCK has already written about a number of wearable tech and tech-inspired devices—see here, here, and here—and stay tuned for a wearable-tech watch feature with reviews in the December–January issue of JCK.
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