Having undergone numerous and dazzling developments during the 21st century, technologies have spread so widely that they have affected almost all sectors. Since it is one of the most active sectors, fashion has not escaped this techno-folk. But to what extent is fashion influenced by technology today? Discover a fashion-technology relationship that is more intimate than you might think.
For customers, easier access to fashion items
The first important point to note when analyzing what links fashion and technology is certainly ease of access. Ease of access to information is the most decisive change that technologies have been able to bring to our lives. In the fashion sector, this is expressed in the simplicity of access to creations. While a few years ago, it could take years for the creations of the greatest designers to reach other regions of the world, nowadays, a few minutes are more than enough to discover the new products! And there’s a good chance that future of fashion will depend very much on this accelerated flow of information.
One of the most beautiful illustrations is the surprising turnout that accompanied the official release of the furniture collection created by Virgil Abloh and Ikea in early November. If it is true that this is a furniture issue, it should be noted that Virgil Abloh comes from the fashion world (he was the designer of Kanye West), and has signed many creations for several fashion brands. Its contribution to the furniture sector therefore has a touch of finesse specific to fashion, which consumers have been unable to resist. Within a few hours, the information about the release of the collection was already on everyone’s lips. Then, on D-Day, the items were sold like hot cakes in several countries, so much so that there were even many crowd movements.
More ease in creation
In the past, creators needed to tap into themselves to get inspiration. To some extent, they could also observe the environment around them to find creative ideas. If all these sources of inspiration still exist today, two other sources have been added thanks to technology: the creations of other designers from all over the world and the desires and tastes of fashion enthusiasts. Once again, thanks to specialized platforms, or simply through social networks, images of fashion creations abound on the Internet. In addition, there are also fashion forums, or channels such as comments on publications on Instagram, Facebook and others, where fashion enthusiasts regularly express their opinions and talk about creations they would like to see happen.
Functional creations
Thanks to technology, fashion creations are no longer simple elements of clothing and elegance. Modern methods allow shoes and clothing to go beyond their role as shapes and also to perform other functions. This is the case, for example, with Nike Air pairs with Nike Air technology, where the sole embeds compressed air into a flexible membrane, thus providing better cushioning. We can also mention the handbags with LEDs presented by Karl Lagerfeld during his Chanel spring-summer 2017 fashion show or Adidas’ Climachill technology, which keeps the clothes fresh inside.
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