When I see performers like Kanye West and Lady Gaga sporting light up clothing and accessories I can’t help but think that this could be a glimpse into the near future of fashion. The visceral use of the technology lends itself in performance but could there actually be a real world purpose? Yes, but not yet. A new technology called Lumalive has emerged, and like most fashion technology collaborations, Lumalive is best suited as marketing buzz. Until there are more fashion designers that understand material technology and see the big picture, we will continue to see frivolous high-tech innovations.
Lumalive is a branch off product from Phillips, and specializes in pieces of clothing with embedded LED lights that can create moving images within the textile itself. So far, they have been pushing the idea that this is an eye catching way to promote your company, product or event. The images that are created within the garment are very generic and look like a scrolling movie theater marquee. None the less, the experience is visually stimulating, and as this technology evolves the images will become more complex.
It seems inevitable that its novelty will wear off and that Lumalive will make its way into mainstream retail. Considering how fast trends in fashion move people may just crave a light bright garment for back to school. Now the idea of illuminating clothing becoming accessible doesn’t seem to be so Tron-esque anymore.
Of all the fashion weeks this last month, London leads the way down the eco road.
Estethica is the area of London Fashion Week that exhibits only eco and fair trade clothing, and this year there was a lot to see and hear. The exhibit has grown from 13 to 37 exhibitors over the last three years and this year it featured a range of eco designers including Noir, Goodone, Prophetick and Eloise Grey. The designers have dedicated themselves to doing good by way of their products. Prophetick uses fabric painted by elephants, Goodone utilizes recycled cashmere for geometric knits, Eloise Grey is working to make the first certified organic tweed and Noir tries to keep sourcing within the EU.
Amid the hustle and bustle at Estethica, London Fashion week revealed a big surprise: The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs unveiled its Sustainable Clothing Action Plan.
Because clothing and textiles account for approximately 5-10 per cent of our environmental impacts (Source: European Commission (2006): Environmental Impact of Products), and consumption is likely to increase and raise the impact even more, the government and some high street retailers have taken green pledges. While no promises have been made, stores such as Marks and Spencer have taken a pledge to use more recyclable fibers and organic materials.
NEW YORK, NY – February 25, 2009 – Natalia Allen received an honor, bestowed each year by the World Economic Forum. The Forum recognizes and acknowledges between 200 and 300 outstanding young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
Drawn from a pool of almost 5,000 candidates, the Young Global Leaders 2009 were chosen by a selection committee, chaired by H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, comprising 31 eminent international media leaders.
About The Forum of Young Global Leaders – Established in 2004 by Professor Klaus Schwab, The Forum of Young Global Leaders is a unique, multistakeholder community of the world’s most extraordinary young leaders who dedicate a part of their time to jointly address global challenges and who are committed to devote part of their knowledge and energy to collectively work towards a better future. Together the Young Global Leaders work to discover innovative solutions to today’s most pressing problems through various initiatives and workstreams as well as catalysing the next generation of leaders. Please visit the link for more information. Source: www.weforum.org – World Economic Forum announces Young Global Leaders 2009 - www.younggloballeaders.org
“I’m not a fashion person or an art person. I’m an ideas person.” That is the most succinct description Hussein Chalayan can offer to a world of outsiders looking at his creations. The British Designer of the year for 1999 and 2000 has a new exhibit at the Design Museum in London. True to form, his clothing is arguably art. Dresses made from LED screens, futuristic silhouettes, it is all very inspiring perhaps, but who will buy it and wear it? The avant garde designer makes no attempt to choose between art and fashion and that is evident in his creations.
As a Central Saint Martins senior he buried his collection of silk clothing in the earth to see how it would decay. Clearly, Chalayan is an idea person. It does not seem he is designing practical clothing for people to actually wear despite his admission that he hates it when people say they are inspired by his collections. He wants people to buy.
In his 2000 Sadler Wells show Chalayan’s models stepped into what looked like coffee tables and then pulled them up over themselves and they were garments. In his current collection the His Before Minus Now dress is programmed to change shape by a remote and is made of aircraft materials, there is a dress made of over 15,000 LED lights and one that shines lasers. Hard to believe Chalayan also works for Puma, but he seems to criss cross barriers in fashion and art effortlessly.
Seemingly excessive in ideas and unusual materials, yet fascinating, Chalayan’s last 15 years of work can be seen at the Design Museum in London until April 24th.
Women and men want well-made clothing and today that might mean buying from the same collection as more and more designers release gender neutral collections.
Faconnable began in the south of France and was known for exquisite tailoring and quality materials. So naturally, it makes sense that as women expand their wardrobes to loser fitting clothing and suits that there would be a desire for quality. Eric Wright, Faconnable’s Creative Director, just launched a unisex collection called Numbers. The pieces are slim versions of classic men’s sportswear from the French company. The sizing is based loosely on women’s sizing (0-11). Since men’s fashion has been incorporating tights, skinny jeans and loose fitting tops recently it seems only natural to have a unisex collection that would be a bit loose fitting for the ladies and cater to the men’s trend of tighter fitting clothing. Wright, a Lagerfeld and Cavalli alum, explains, “They’re basics, based on menswear, but women can wear them just as easily. It’s all about how you want it to fit.”
With tighter budgets and the catwalks turning a bit towards androgynous looks, a non-gender specific collection seems like a great idea. A man can go out and buy a fitted pair of twill trousers and his girlfriend can throw them on with a tight colorful belt and white collared shirt unbuttoned a bit and suddenly it is a he/she wardrobe.
Gucci Suit Spring 2009
Gucci, Prada, YSL and Balenciaga showed clothing in Paris and Milan that was more austere and voluminous on women. Chloë Sevigny is adding a unisex collection to her Opening Ceremony line as well. Perhaps women just want to tap into the well-made, durable world of men’s tailoring and sportswear. Perhaps men are tending the other way towards tighter fitting clothing. Perhaps if a collection is well made it is attractive to everyone. Whatever the reason, fashion, not socio-politics, seems to be dominating this trend. Unlike women’s liberation from corsets in the 20’s and the power suits of the 80’s, it just seems like people appreciate versatile, well-made clothing and that desire is not gender specific or necessarily rooted in a political statement. As long as designers continue to make some gender specific clothing too to fill out their collections, I think everyone will stay happy. Just think of how many more closet sharing opportunities there will be. Faconnable’s website has a video of the collection below.
English Retreads is a Boulder, CO based company born from Heather English’s own desire for a vegan handbag. Heather, a strict vegetarian, was looking for a leather alternative handbag. One day while floating down Boulder Creek on an inner tube she got an idea to refurbish vintage rubber and made herself a bag with tools from the local company McGuckin Hardware. After producing her bag and a few for friends, the company was officially founded in 2001 and operated out of her basement. Now based out of North Boulder, English Retreads continues to collect used inner tubes from local bike shops and gas stations, reusing the rubber for everything from dog collars to purses and belts. The average inner tubes have traveled an average of 60,000 miles already according to English Retreads.
Aside from a personal commitment to vegetarianism, Heather had no formal background in design or production. The company’s philosophy is to create “one-of-a-kind, hand-crafter accessories that make a high-impact fashion statement and a low impact on the environment.” Eight years later the company offers its hip, urban, waterproof products throughout local boutiques in the U.S. and Canada.Not only is the product committed to social and ecological consciousness, English Retreads is a member of Co-op America’s Green Business Network and offsets its carbon footprint.
The bags themselves are very individual since each inner tube has different markings and as of now the product is made by hand. Recently the line has expanded to include lined bags as well and the lining is made for PET, recycled plastic bottles. Of course the bags are sturdy because of the material and also a little heavy. English Retreads is a great example of a local business born from an individual need for a smart product.
English Retreads bags are only sold in local boutiques and the average cost is between$100 and $200, with the large Beetle (pictured above) retailing at $209. – GANDRUD
As of mid October Patagonia lovers can now buy a hipper version of the classic 1980’s Synchilla fleece jacket that has been a staple for the environmentally conscious brand. The jacket will be sold exclusively at Urban Outfitters and is available as a zip up ($99) or pullover ($89). The fleece is made from recycled plastic soda bottles and is also a part of Patagonia’s Common Threads Garment Recycling program, which means any piece of clothing with the Common Threads Garment Recycling logo can be returned to the company and re-used for future products. As stated by Patagonia, “Over the course of 13 years, we saved some 86 million soda bottles from the trash heap. That’s enough oil to fill the 40-gallon gas tank of the diminutive Chevy Suburban 20,000 times.” According to customer reviews the jacket is as well loved as ever with a slightly slimmer fit. The only complaint has been about the colors being a little off from online pictures, but Patagonia is keeping true to its range of brightly colored fleece in colors like turquoise and French red. It is inspiring to see the collaboration between two companies with such different markets fuse, bringing together markets of different ages as well as interests. Three cheers for green fashion and just in time for the holidays!
Louis Vuitton added some holiday cheer to its Fifth Avenue store on November 7th by wrapping the building in its signature multicolored monogram designed by Takashi Murakami. The vinyl installation is part of an effort to present something unique for the holiday season and is best viewed at night when the neon logo pops out in thirty-three candy colors. Murakami is a notable Japanese artist who works in a variety of mediums including fashion, fine art, installation art, mouse pads, sculptures and t-shirts. Dubbed the next Andy Warhol, Murakami’s art has swept Europe and the US and is even more accessible than Warhol’s art by price and product. Check more out about Murakami, LV or their collaboration below.
Chair of Fashion at Parsons, Simon Collins, moderates an informative panel of fashion industry leaders selected to discuss future careers in a fast-changing fashion industry. NATALIA
Believe it or not, the fashion industry is responsible for a large part of the world’s pollution. From manufacturing to shipping, tons of toxic chemicals, CO2 and greenhouse gasses are discharged, and huge amounts of oil and energy are consumed.That said, where can one go for stylish, yet eco-friendly clothing?Enter Goodone, a British label that creates hip and trendy clothes made from recycled garments.
Founded by two Brighton University graduates, Nin Castle and Phoebe Emerson, Goodone takes second-hand or throwaway clothing and repurposes them into new garments that don’t look obviously recycled.Their style has an urban and edgy vibe, with each garment being unique since all textiles and prints come from used clothing.All products are locally hand-made from individually chosen recycled garments or sourced from textile recycling factories.What is innovative about Goodone is that they are providing a creative and sustainable solution to counteract the damage that the fashion industry has been wreaking upon the environment.By using materials that already exist, they don’t need to consume more energy or expend more toxic waste in order to manufacture new products.And unlike some other companies that have hopped on the recycling bandwagon, Goodone’s garments are not only eco-friendly and fashionable, but also completely realistic and wearable.Now that’s fashion with a conscience.WU
Eddie Bauer is going back to its original roots by hiring mountaineer legend Jim Whittaker for insight on its expedition outerwear. The goal is to revive the brands sense of adventure and produce better performing products. Also to move away from its focus on indoor casual apparel in hopes of a big comeback.
When conservative companies hire athletes as design consultants they take a pronounced risk. In my opinion it is a great way to get the inside scoop on athletic apparel. Athletes know best what works and what does not. Brands that hire designers who live and breathe the brand are more successful.
Eddie Bauer’s new line of apparel will be put to the test when their new collection is launched in 2009. Their goal is to sell $450 per square foot, which is far from their $260 per square foot from last year. If sales increase for Eddie Bauer, these types of partnerships may become a more common occurrence. HANNA
July 17, 2008 – NEW YORK
Today, I visited Première Vision’s “Preview New York.” Held in Chelsea’s Metropolitan Pavilion, textiles companies from around the world gathered to present their finest fabric samples at this textiles tradeshow. I was looking forward to this event. While stuck in traffic en route, I speculated on all the wonderful new things I would find. Like Indiana Jones on a treasure hunt, I was eager to discover some avant-garde, never-before-seen textile, or a radical new way of producing fabric from recycled tires.
After receiving my visitor’s pass, I checked the guidebook to plan my course of action. The exhibitors were categorized into four “style universes,” with the names Seduction, Distinction, Relax, and Pulsation. There was also a catering table, but the lack of a cocktail bar narrowed down my options. No matter, I decided to start in the universe of Relax. Streetwear is my field of expertise, so I was immediately drawn to the stone-washed, sand-blasted denim booths. I struck gold at my first stop, a Turkish company called Birlik Mensucat. The manager informed me that their cottons were 100% organic, even the dyes and production process were certified eco-friendly. Sounds good to me. We traded cards and I moved on, encouraged to find more organic textiles.
I wandered through the various textile universes on the hunt for innovation, making stops here and there. One of the more noteworthy visits was at Hasegawa, a Japanese textile manufacturer. Their tissue-thin silk/cotton jerseys were the finest I had ever seen. I was also intrigued by a platinum-colored jersey, which, upon inquiry, discovered it was actually metallic ink printed on fine-gauge silk jersey. I immediately ordered a swatch book.
Premiere Vision Preview New York
After a couple dozen booths, I realized that the majority of the gorgeous fabrics that I had seen were simply not organic or sustainable. In fact, sustainability didn’t even seem to be an issue, since there was no indication of it anywhere on the maps, booths, or trend displays. It was becoming tedious to have to enquire whether or not every company I visited produced eco-friendly textiles. Just as I was ready to admit defeat, I spotted a shirt with the words “100% Organic Cotton” hanging outside a booth. The booth belonged to French company Siat & Lang. The manager showed me some beautiful shirting fabrics, all 100% organic and made in France. I ordered some last samples before heading out.
During my cab ride back to the office, I reviewed all the companies I had visited. Unfortunately, I did not find as many interesting textiles as I anticipated, and was hugely disappointed by the lack of eco-consciousness in the overall exhibition. Perhaps there is a separate textile show out there specifically for sustainable materials. However, I think that if Première Vision wants to continue labeling themselves as “the premier textile workshop,” they should expand their vision and look at current issues of sustainability that are increasingly relevant to the world of fashion. WU
All photos courtesy of Première Vision. http://www.premierevision-newyork.com/
Although this is a project, the design idea is interesting enough for us to cover. All around us, the push for going green is visible. But have designers gone too far to try and capture the “green market”?
Designer Stephanie Sandstrom developed a dress that detects harmful emissions in the air. You can identify the smoggy days and areas when crinkles and kinks start to form on the dress. Powered entirely through sensors incorporated into the fabric, the wrinkles stop with higher quality air. This idea will allow you to stray away from the harmful air that lurks in the most precarious conditions, or to even make a statement about our declining air quality.
The harmful effects of global warming are changing our world and it is time for everyone to notice. But do ideas like this help us achieve the goal of becoming more “green-friendly. Instead of replacing ones wardrobe with fashion that senses smog, which would increase the carbon footprint, we suspect there are better ways of addressing the problem of air pollution.
You can learn more about the Dress along with other imaginative designs at the San Francisco Exploratorium’s 2nd Skin Exhibition through September 7, 2008. HANNA
Saving our environment is talk. The sale of bottled water has not declined since its introduction. A few facts from the Water Quality Association:
* Bottled water sales and consumption continue to rise, according to statistics released April 9, 2007, by the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC).
* Total US bottled water volume exceeded 8.25 billion gallons in 2006, a 9.5 percent increase over the prior year.
* Wholesale dollar sales for bottled water exceeded $10.8 billion in 2006, an 8.5 percent increase over the $10 billion in 2005.
My goal as a designer is to inspire and lead. It is evident that people are still consuming bottled water. This may be the result of too few alternatives. Forget your Nalgene (www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store) water bottle at home and your next alternative is bottled water. Tap water has earned such a bad reputation, spending 2 dollars on 12oz of water seems normal.
As a solution, I propose:
* Providing consumers with easy Internet based access to the quality of their local water supply.
* A nationwide roll out of water fountains. Yes, water fountains. Prior to the ubiquitous plastic Poland Springs water bottle, your average citizen was happy to use a public water fountain.
Some disagree with me because there is no money to be made by giving filtered water away for free. My reply, because it is not in a bottle does not mean it needs to be distributed freely. An example:
A few visionary restaurants in New York and California have offered filtered tap water as an alternative to bottled water. The filtered water costs the same as bottled water, yet has none of the environmental set-backs.
As the cost of producing and shipping bottle water surges and consumer awareness towards the environment increases, the popularity of bottled beverages will decrease.
I am currently designing filtered water fountains for the public space and welcome the feedback of water drinkers, beverage companies, city planners or filtration companies everywhere. NATALIA
European textiles fair Pitti Filati opens next week in Florence, as many spinners are busily preparing for the upcoming season’s latest trends.According to many fashion forecasters, color will play a big role this Fall/Winter.Simultaneously, the trend for “green” fashion remains strong, as demand for organic fibers has slowly increased over the past few years.As a result, spinners are looking towards more sustainable methods of production.
Scottish company Todd & Duncan plan to introduce an organic cashmere range, while Italian spinners Loro Festa will present organic merino wool.Since bold and intense colors will play a large role in the upcoming season, many companies are looking to the Global Organic Textile Standard, and only using dyes that have been approved organic.
The goal of these companies is to attract and retain buyers for organic yarns.The market is strong in Japan and in select European countries, although it is nearly non-existent in America.To keep organic fibers in the fashion market, spinners must stay innovative and develop new methods of producing sustainable textiles that will capture the interest of the fashion industry.WU
In competitive swimming, a quarter of a second can be the difference between first and fifth place. Coaches and athletes look for other alternatives to increase a player’s performance.
Speedo’s latest LZR Pulse fabric is designed to reduce muscle oscillation and skin vibrations through their “internal core stabilizer” that works similar to a corset to hug the body. It is made from a densely woven Nylon Elastane fabric that tightens the bod similar to a girdle. What adds to its competitive edge is that there are no sewn seams; instead edges are fused together using ultrasonic welding.
This sleeveless, second skin, shoulder-to-ankle suit is the most hydrodynamic swimsuit available when it comes reducing drag. Although, this new technological advancement created record breaking scores it is a controversial subject when used in competitive sports.
“Speedo is the Kleenex of swimwear, but not since the advent of steroids have we seen so many record-smashing events,” says analyst Marshal Cohen of the NPD Group. Some even refer to it as technological doping. (http://www.newsweek.com/id/142410).
Every athlete has access to this suit. It is ultimately up to the individual to spend $600 on a racer suit that takes twenty minutes to put on, and shaves a millisecond off the final time. Would you buy it? HANNA
MacGregor Golf is a 100 year old golf company, one with a new CEO. Michael J. Setola shares with us his vision and strategy for keeping the innovative brand strong.
NATALIA: Please give folks a bit of insight as to what your role entails.
Michael: As CEO of MacGregor, my primary role is to manage the investments and direction of the company. As it relates to product, inventory is our largest investment, so I keep a keen eye on product and product development.
NATALIA: How did you first become interested in fashion?
Michael: Funny story, but my first job was with Hanes Underwear. I was selling boxers and white briefs. Suddenly for the first time, colored underwear came on the scene and I saw the effect of fashion on something as simple as underwear. I was hooked on the excitement of newness and the effect great product has on business.
NATALIA: How would you define good innovation?
Michael: Good innovation is the combo of design, merchandising and sell through to the consumer. It needs to be relevant as truly new, but have meaning to the consumer.
NATALIA: Is innovation important to you? MacGregor?
Michael: At both the Greg Norman collection and in our MacGregor Golf Club companies, innovation is what separates us from the field.
NATALIA: How is innovation realized in your business?
Michael: Design, product development, technical services and production all must work together to bring innovation to the market in sync.
NATALIA: Any challenges or successes you have had bringing innovative design to market?
Michael: There are always challenges in getting all these components firing at the same time. Often, one area is ahead or behind in the ability to deliver innovation, so a project may be delayed.
NATALIA: What are some of the current innovation projects you are working on?
Michael: In apparel, climate controlled fabrics are becoming more important for the active golfer. Body temperature regulating developments are in our market and improvements are in the works. In golf clubs, we have a new metal that we are introducing to the clubface for game improvement.
NATALIA: Do you feel technology in fashion is just a trend?
Michael: Everything is a trend. It’s just about how long it stays with us. Technology will be with us for a long time, the consumer likes it.
NATALIA: In a few words please share with us your vision for the future.
Michael: Companies that innovate and develop consumer centric products will excel even more in the future. The combination of economic challenges and modern expectations will raise the bar for products to succeed.
The Renegade Craft Fair was held in Brooklyn this past weekend, showcasing the talents of various arts-and-crafts vendors, and promoting the increasingly popular form of “do-it-yourself” design. Fashion companies, such as Threadless (http://threadless.com) and Urban Tailor (http://urbantailor.com) are jumping on the DIY bandwagon by allowing customers to design their own garments or create their own graphic tees online. User-friendly web pages allow customers to click and create customized clothing based on provided styles and textiles. With the help of Internet technology, customers can instantly create and preview their own customized clothing.
Sneaker goliath, Nike, takes this trend one step further with their latest creation: Nike PhotoID. Combining mobile technology with the DIY trend, Nike PhotoID allows fans to create sneakers based on snapshots taken by their cell phones. The new program analyzes dominant colors in the photograph and then transfers those colors into a sneaker template. An image of the shoe is sent back to the mobile phone, and users have the option to save it as a wallpaper or order the actual footwear. The customized color-ways are available on Nike’s classic 1985 Dunk high-top basketball sneakers. Currently, Nike PhotoID is only available in Europe. WU
Most automobiles are fabricated in hard plastic, glass and metal, requiring many parts and joints. The team at BMW has rethought this approach and presented a seamless skin concept. The outcome is both ergonomic and beautiful.
Design Futurist believes the best innovation not only makes objects more beautiful, it makes them more functional. General complaints from drivers have little to do with the surface and everything to do with poor durability, vulnerable electrical systems and complicated repairs.
Seamless design can mean more graceful lines, simpler parts, and fluid transitions. We hope BMW, extends this thought process to the internal design of future cars. NATALIA
NEW YORK, NY – February 25, 2009 – Natalia Allen received an honor, bestowed each year by the World Economic Forum. The Forum recognizes and acknowledges between 200 and 300 outstanding young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.
NATALIA
