Those who think the Apple Watch is the epitome of wearable technology haven’t seen the Fox Fan Jersey featuring an imbedded sensor that gives fans the same fluttering heart and rush that the athletes they’re watching on feeling on the field. Or the Navigat jacket that helps wearers navigate New York, Sydney or Paris via a “tap” on a shoulder instead of a map in the palm. Or, heaven forbid, Fundawear, vibrating underwear designed to let long-distance couples literally feel each other. All were presented by Australian designer Billie Whitehouse, whose Wearable Experiments team designs comfortable clothing that uses invisible technology to enhance experience.
Whitehouse was one of a trio of speakers at the Women in Technology track at eMerge whose businesses fuse fashion and technology. Since 2012, Liz Baclear’s Decoded Fashion has arranged hackathons, competitions and conferences bringing together fashion and tech in New York and London – and, she announced, will come this December to Miami.
Miami’s own Ariel Swedroe, 11, is already ahead of the curve. Using laser prints of colorful collages created by her grandfather, artist Robert Swedroe, Ariel has designed belts with LED lights, bracelets created with 3D printers and an entire line of ready-to-wear for women. All will be available soon on her website, swedroebyariel.com. And someday, she hopes, at Bergdorf.
Jane Wooldridge