The time has come where the solar system and style have finally collided. Thanks to Nasty Gal's new line of space oddity clothing, choosing between the cosmic and the catwalk is no longer a problem. Space cadets can have their pick of Milky Way leggings, galactic blouses, and cosmic boots. Sure, they make a bold statement, but we say go for it — neons and nebulas are just what the stars have aligned!
The killer collaboration between fashion and tech stretches far beyond supermodels on smartphones. In honor of New York Fashion Week this week, we're celebrating some of our favorite tech-outfitted items, from LED-adorned dresses to the most fabulous geek-toe shoes around. Some will cost you a pretty penny, while others exist only in movies, but they're all fun to gawk at. Which is your favorite?
In The Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta are dressed to impress in black unitard suits that are lit "on fire" with synthetic flames. While that kind of wear may be suitable for Panem, it may not be as well-received in the real world. A good substitution? LED lights. LED fashion is old hat for our time, as we've seen all kinds of iterations, from dresses to suits. Check out some of our favorite "on fire" fashions from years' past and get ready for The Hunger Games, which premieres this Friday!
Photo courtesy of Lionsgate
Fergie is no stranger to geeky stage costumes, so I wasn't all that surprised to see her wearing a light dress at last night's Billboard Music Awards.
The "new" little black dress, which was designed by Philips and B. Akerlund, used light-infused, curve-hugging fabric to light up with the beat of the music. Of course, Fergie wasn't the only one outfitted in light — Will.i.Am wore a crazy pink plastic helmet, which you can see (along with more pics of Fergie's dress) in the slideshow!
I was hooked on the last season of Project Runway, not only because of its geeky additions, but also for the fashion! I'm a girl who loves fabrics and style as much as I love my tech, so I was excited to hear that last season's winner, Seth Aaron, would be presenting his new solar-inspired collection at Portland's Fashion Week today.
Influenced by SolarWorld's sleek panels and its Hillsboro, OR, HQ, Seth designed a new, futuristic take on the LBD. But it's not just Seth who's got solar on the brain. "Solar is the New Black" is the theme for this year's Portland Fashion Week, and all of the designers' collections will be seen on models who will walk a solar panel-laced catwalk.
I thought having a Facebook app on my smartphone was enough to keep me connected to my friends, but who wants to live their lives with a phone in their face? A company called Electrofoxy is here with a solution — they are working on an electronically-enhanced line of clothing, including the Ping hoodie (seen here) that will take technology and fashion to another level, and do away with the need to check your favorite social network on your cell.
By integrating sensors into the garment, you can send status message updates to your Facebook page with just a few gestures — lifting up or lowering the hood, tying a bow, or zipping up, among others. Plus, you can program what each gesture says with an accompanying Facebook application, and even get alerted to incoming messages with a "tap" on the shoulder from the jacket. They say:
Clothing is a core part of our expression and offers ways for us to communicate who we are and the context in which we live. Technology enables a richer connection with people and our environment and offers a new platform for communication and expression.
Seems like Marty McFly's auto-drying and shrink-to-fit jacket from Back to the Future II isn't that far off after all!
Lady Gaga appeared on the UK show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross earlier today in a few of her legendary costumes. First up was a white number she wore while performing "Brown Eyes," but she changed into a black ensemble for her interview, which included a telephone hat. Designed by Philip Treacy, the hat is made to resemble an old-timey rotary telephone, which Gaga actually pretended to use during the interview! Unfortunately, the phone couldn't make outgoing calls, had no WiFi signal, and wasn't Bluetooth compatible, but it sure did make a statement. Maybe she's prepping for her latest video release? It's called "Telephone." Natch.
To hear what she has to say about her Oscar-worthy costumes, fashion, and whether there's anything she wouldn't wear (you may be surprised), just read more
During her Spring 2010 show, Vivienne Tam wowed us with her second edition HP Mini netbook design, and at CES, Monster announced a partnership with the designer to bring us a stylish pair of headphones to rock out to. A designer that's as into tech as she is fashion? Be still my heart. Today, Vivienne unveiled those headphones in NY, which brings her beautiful HP "Butterfly Lovers" design to your ears.
Appropriately dubbed Butterfly ($200), these high performance headphones bring you the bangin' sound quality you expect from Monster, with a sweet brushed gold design and matching carrying case for you style fiends. In addition to a great look, Butterfly offers a great fit with multiple sizes of in-ear tips that will let you customize for your ears — we all know how annoying it is when your expensive earbuds don't fit! The Butterfly headphones are available to purchase online now.
I love it when tech shows up in fashion, which is why I always keep my eyes peeled when Fashion Week rolls around. Just because I love following tech trends, doesn't mean I don't love fashion — but I especially love it when they both join forces! Here are some of my favorite tech fashion partnerships from previous years.
What if Tony Stark had been Antonia Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow was the one suiting up in Iron Man, out today? The film would probably look like Vogue's spread with cover girl Gwyneth Paltrow — real props from Marvel complement couture gowns and elaborate wiring that's as much her power as it is her accessory. Check out the slideshow for the whole Gwyneth shoot!
