Tech Becomes Her: Our Favorite FW24 Fashion Technology
From Sinead Gorey’s iPod Shuffle accessories to JE Cai’s AI-infused silhouettes.
From the metaverse to NFTs to AI-generated imagery, keeping up with the evolving cycle of technological innovations and their increased presence in the style industries can feel all encompassing. But, between deepfakes and mixed realities lies a truth that feels relevant for all of us: fashion’s use of technology as a medium allows designers to explore, question and expand our collective understanding of creativity.
Between the use of nostalgic hardware and futuristic designs, fashion and tech continued to come to together to create wow-worthy designs, collaborations and concepts this Fall/Winter 2024 season.
Continue reading for our favorite fashion tech moments from the FW24 circuit and while you’re here, check out our coverage of Private Policy’s beauty backstage.
Coperni Unveils NASA-Developed “Air Swipe” Bag
View this post on Instagram
Coperni‘s investigations into the intersection of fashion and technology have led to some of the industry’s most innovative accessories including its SS24 CD player bags and Humane AI brooches. This season, the label partnered with NASA and Professor Ioannis Michaloudis, to create a new iteration of its Swipe bag which is made of 99% air and 1% glass.
Diesel Invites The Digital World to its IRL Showcase
At Milan Fashion Week, Diesel‘s runway was joined by 1,000 online guests via a livestream. Bridging the gap between the IRL and URL, the brand used the livestream as a format to decentralize the runway to a global audience.
Windowsen Bedazzles Beats Headphones With Over 5,000 Crystals
Known for its blending of technology, art and fashion, Windowsen teamed up with Beats to create a range of crystal-designed Beats Studio Pro headphones at its Paris Fashion Week showcase. Arriving in purple, green, yellow, blue and red colorways, the headphones were styled backwards and sideways adding to the self-expression of the presentation. Helmed by Sensen Lii, the collection also continued its narrative around “ChatAngels” which is inspired by “virtual escapades and real-world adventures,” according to the show notes.
JE Cai Glitches the Mechanics of Dressing
Founded by Jiaen Cai, the label JE Cai challenges the status quo of silhouettes with what the brand calls “Algorithmic Modular Systems.” For its FW24 collection, Cai was inspired by “highly methodical computer-generated [elements as a] means to creativity,” amidst the rise of AI-generated content. What evolved from this inspiration was a new way of looking at uniform dressing with a focus on glitch aesthetics and malfunction. To add to the concept, JE Cai presents details including ink splatters, raw hems and unexpected combinations such as quirky cut outs and overlaying skirts — mimicking an avatar dressing up.
Marine Serre Taps Danish Audio Brand AIAIAI
Loved by professional musicians and tastemakers such as Benji B and Kaytranada, Danish brand AIAIAI joined Marine Serre‘s FW24 showcase offering models futuristic, audio adornments. For the runway collection, the brand modified its Wireless+ AIAIAI headphones with the universally recognized Marine Serre half moon motif, styled with sleek black shades and full-body leotards. Alongside this, its UNIT-4 speaker was placed backstage to display its portable functionality which was a perfect complement for the post-show celebrations.
Conner Ives Presents the “Headphone Bride”
Master of reworking fabrics, Conner Ives chose a new medium to craft into the closing look of his FW24 showcase. In a collection titled “The Swans,” the designer embedded headphones into a sheer white gown found in a headphone production factory neighboring the label’s embroidery factory. As an ode to lost treasures, Ives explains in a press statement: “Objects lacking purpose, by-products of our capitalist-fuelled society. More-is-more and whatever gets lost along the way simply becomes junk.” The dress, worn by Ives’ friend and beauty editor Tish Weinstock, was joined by other discarded-turned-graceful garments including the demi-couture soda tab dress and shirts made from eBay purchases.
Sinead Gorey Shuffles Up Accessories
Sinead Gorey went back to the aughts to capture a time where iPod Shuffles and Nanos carried us through our days. For its FW24 showcase, nostalgic tech took center stage as an ode to the girl who is “In a rush to grow up.” Celebrating the It-girls of the era, its show notes state: “Indeed, it’s quite the ride being this iPod-toting, Blackberry-pinging It-girl. Memories of rollerblading on the front drive or playing Snake on a Nokia brick have been subbed out for pie-eyed evenings at her first rave.” iPod accessories were spotted as hair clips and brooches while others were secured tightly into arm bands for the girls on-the-go.
Adobe’s Animated Dress Hits The NYFW Runway
Adobe‘s Primrose dress broke the internet when it first released in late 2023, both as an early adopter for haptic AI-embedded clothing and a promise for what’s to come at the intersection of fashion and technology. At New York Fashion Week, Adobe partnered with Christian Cowan to release the first completely wearable garment using Adobe Primrose technology. Crafted by laser-cut tools, Adobe Illustrator and After Effects, the chrome dress changes shapes from petals to stars using computational mapping, allowing it to become animated in real time. Cowan shares in a press release, “I am honored to be the first designer to showcase how this impactful technology can be used to bring fabric designs to life in ways like never before.”
Private Policy Explores The Wild Wild World of AI
For its FW24 showcase, the New-York based label Private Policy compared the untamed era of America’s 19th century Wild West to that of today’s era of artificial intelligence. Inspired by the juxtaposition of nature and technology, the team involved luxury hardware in to the collection through the use of 3D silicone textures to metal weaving. Bonus points go to the team for collaborating with Gentle Monster, one of the leading labels using emergent technology as a concept and tool, as the eyewear choice on the runway. Amidst automation anxiety of what’s to come with AI the team shares, “There is hope at the end of this tunnel!”
SYKY Taps KWK by KAY KWOK and Taskin Goec for a Phygital Showcase
Kicking of London Fashion Week with a phygitall twist, luxury fashion platform SYKY worked with KWK and Taskin Goec for a mixed reality drop. As a part of the showcase, KWK produced both physical and digital versions of three of his past designs for Beyoncé, Björk, and Karol G. Partnering with the British Fashion Council, SYKY will host an event dubbed “Worlds Collide” to celebrate the merging relationship between fashion, technology and blended realities. Alice Delahunt, Founder and CEO of SYKY shares in a press statement, “Consumers can support these visionaries by purchasing both physical and digital versions of garments, which can then be translated into whichever world or reality they wish.”
