Youth Incorporated Magazine

Technology has not only been excelling in its own industry, with significant milestones being achieved, but it is also slowly making its way through other industries. The fashion and jewelry industry is one that is slowly adapting to the technological advancements that have revolutionized other industries and sectors. 

The primary purpose of jewelry is to bring out the best in our outfits. However, today’s accessories are capable of so much more; because the industry is quickly starting to adapt and are fulfilling a crucial need, that is, jewelry that not only looks good, but also serves a purpose. Smart jewelry no longer just means elegant, chic, and classy jewelry. It is also inclusive of the fact that it is compatible with modern-day technology. There are rings and bracelets that can be connected to your mobile phones, and can track your physical activity, as well as pick up phone calls when your phone is not in your hand. As bizarre as it may sound, it is actually a growing necessity because technology and digital connections are such an integral part of people’s lives today. 

There’s also wearable technology in terms of clothing and apparel, which is also aimed toward a path leading to a more sustainable lifestyle in fashion. However, not many of these brands have been able to take their products to market. London-based The Unseen is one of the few examples that has actually been able to launch to market. It is a start-up by Lauren Bowker that captures the simple idea of colors altering based on the user’s interaction or the environment that they are placed in. In late 2015, a line of luxury accessories for Selfridges included a backpack, scarf, phone case, and more, which reacted to things like body temperature, touch, air pressure, wind, and sunlight. For example, an Italian alligator-skin shoulder bag noticed ink shifting in response to the environment; from black in the winter, red in the spring, blue in the summer to green fading to red in the season of autumn. 

Wearable Experiments, founded by Billie Whitehouse, introduced a shirt for Superbowl fans called the Fan Jersey, and it allowed fans to feel major plays on the American football field. A shirt that can be connected via Bluetooth, the haptic vibrations let the wearer experience the game so personally, that it may just create an emotional attachment. Innovations like these truly make things exciting for the entertainment industry, because this form of technology can be used in other fields as well. 

The things we can imagine with technology seem almost scary, but it only goes to show the amount of progress and advancement technology has made in every aspect of our lives. There’s nothing anyone can say that can predict the new innovations that are to come in the industry, so the best we can do is look forward to what is yet to come.