How local fashion companies are leveraging tech during the pandemic
By, Smiksha Singla
While COVID-19 has forced several industries to pivot and adapt to various innovative technologies, the fashion industry has experienced a great shift in terms of adopting new means of virtual production.
Tech has undoubtedly revolutionized the way we perceive fashion. The industry has been steadily recontextualizing creations, only recently incorporating new technologies for styles and various clothing lines. With the use of tech components like augmented reality, temperature changing fabrics and LED light-up luxury gowns, technology trends have been on the rise as many companies are taking to utilizing these inventions.
Many brands have been hosting digital fashion showcases in lieu of COVID-19 restrictions. In July of 2020, brands like Dior Men’s showcased collections using digital presence, according to an article by The Cut. Toronto itself has had many fashion companies coming into the spotlight that features intricate technology within their designs, outlining new explorations of products.
Here is a list of locally-based companies that are adapting to the concept of fashion-tech in their designs!
This fashion tech brand aims to transform customer service in the digital world. They are looking to recreate the procurement of information by marketing a line of durable microchips that can be embedded into your merchandise, which allows the customer to simply use their smartphone to obtain all details of the piece itself, including the level of authenticity.
Ahmer Beg, the president of Authentic or Not, recalls being curious about relationships between merchandise and the customer. Beg always believed there was more to this relationship, pondering the idea of what could be the next evolution in the fashion and manufacturing industry altogether.
When he came up with the concept of product authentication, it was found to be formed by family experiences of gift-giving during the holidays while searching for a perfect piece for a relative’s closet.
“It would be cool if I could place my phone over the purse and it instantly shows it's authentic,” said Beg when recounting the experience.
The concept of using a smartphone to identify authenticity enables the brand to tell its story directly through the product and allows for a quick and easy exchange of information.
“Anyone should be able to place their phone over a product and instantly check its legitimacy and unlock real-world experiences,” said Beg.
The microchips are small and curated to fit the product, avoiding any sense of discomfort. They are also safe to toss in the washer or dryer, a true pioneer for what technology stands for today.
Beg believes that Authentic or Not is essentially a storytelling technology, with encryption and authentication embedded into it. By intersecting the aesthetic of fashion and the functionality of technology, new innovations can be reached across the industry.
“Companies without any technical background can use Authentic Or Not’s Experience Builder to create and deploy unique customer experiences,” said Beg about the platform that enables consumers to build web pages without writing code.
Brands and fashion designers may use the app to customize experiences they want their customers to have, which can range from sharing the brand’s personal story to recycling information, multimedia content and even contests.
A true visionary in the field of fashion, Myant aims to create textiles that “unlock human potential.” This fashion-tech company chooses to recreate the purpose of textile in the production of clothing.
Myant knits sensors into everyday textiles that aid in detecting and sensing the human body’s current physical state. This use of textile computation manages health and collects body data required to initiate a complete analysis.
Hannah Fung, the director of marketing at Myant, explains the sensors’ process in analyzing health performance. By knitting sensors that extract information from the body and actuators that allow you to stimulate the body, long-range data can be obtained quickly.
Skiin, Myant’s consumer brand for connected garments, works on providing long-range data, which is then filtered by the Myant Platform that uses AI to search for any trends that may require immediate attention from a doctor.
The feature of health monitoring being embedded directly into clothing makes it easier to access information regarding health and well-being.
“This is important in order to serve sections of society that are under-served by digital innovations like the elderly, children, and people with physical or cognitive limitations,” said Fung.
When asked about how textile computing can transform human performance and capabilities, Fung explains that managing health is only one small facet of what a human-centric hyperconnected world looks like and Myant hopes to create a network between family and friends.
Fung says the company is vehement about bridging the gap in improving the connection between you and your loved ones, allowing the opportunity for further connection and access to family members’ well-being, for those who need assistance and are at a great distance from one another.
This fashion-tech company is all about the customer, focusing on a cohesive mixture of sustainability and tech to create a comfortable solution for walking in heels. Sustainability is at the core of Krippit’s mission, their protective heel coverings made through the use of 3D printers, benefiting customers in a one-size-fits-all product.
Melissa Chung, the founder and CEO of Krippit, believes that heel protectors are a part of fashion necessities in today’s current fashion climate. No one ever wants to consciously damage their heels, but still want to feel free to traverse all types of walking surfaces.
Krippit has progressed rapidly over the years as a start-up at Ryerson’s Fashion Zone. Krippt is also a part of IFA's incubation program in Paris and has showcased at London Fashion Week. Chung is determined to make women feel empowered with this product.
“We’re working professional women and we like to drive our own narrative. We do everything men do and we do it in heels. Krippit gives us more liberty to hustle and by being comfortable and confident, it empowers you and helps in self-expression,” said Chung.
Krippit offers customization as a part of their services, which means that customers can always add embellishments to the classic Krippit design according to their personal preferences.
Krippit considers great visual appeal and high functionality as one of their biggest assets, with customer satisfaction as their top priority. It is a sustainable yet inexpensive solution for a powerful strut. For all heel lovers and collectors, aesthetic content followers, and footwear enthusiasts, this one’s for you!
StyleID’s portfolio consists of joining Ryerson’s Fashion Zone and Communitech, an innovative hub that houses more than 1400 companies. After being conceptualized in 2012, within three years, StyleID was selected to join the Joe Fresh Center for fashion innovation.
This fashion-tech company aims to help consumers identify, purchase and share items they see on television. After downloading the free app, users can then choose from a variety of TV shows, including popular series like Modern Family, Pretty Little Liars and The Mindy Project. Through the app, users are informed about the brand, style and price of the clothing of their choice.
StyleID aims to create a cohesive platform for users who wish to wear the same clothing displayed in their favourite TV shows. The StyleID app is available for download on GooglePlay and BLackBerry World.
Why fashion-tech?
Fashion-tech plays an integral role in setting brands apart and develops connectedness between two tremendously different industries. Tech is undoubtedly shaping the future of several industries with the fashion industry at the forefront.
Products modelled from the intersections of the fashion and the tech industry are essentially more viable as they comprise each other's best features and strengthen their inadequacies.
Tech wearables that lacked style and visual appeal can now be incorporated with fashion elements, making them more aesthetically and visually appealing. The fashion industry, which is predominantly known for aesthetic creations, customer-oriented products can now be properly explored with the amalgamation of tech concepts like social media, VR fashion shows, etc.
These innovations provide us limitless possibility for creating an optimal and positive consumer experience and widen products available for customer use.