Switched

The Future of Fashion May Mean Designing Your Own Duds

Leila Brillson — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:45:00 EST

By employing Delaunay Triangulation, or the practice of creating wide-angled triangles along a set of given points, designer Mary Huang hopes to democratize the little black dress. With her project 'Continuum,' which is about to hit Kickstarter, she hopes to take her proprietary software, and offer it to any gal who wants a hyper-futuristic dress entirely tailored to her own proportions. "Could we use technology to democratize haute couture? Could we let people design their own dress, and still maintain a cohesive, recognizable design?" Huang wonders.

The notion, Huang tells Co.Design, is to "have your clothes made to fit you, instead of figuring out how you fit into clothes." The interface is a simple point-and-click, allowing the user to create more triangles for volume or texture. The "D.dress," as it's called, is made simply through the addition and subtraction of angles, and is made to fit the body by entering a number of measurements (as in normal fashion fitting).

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The Future of Fashion May Mean Designing Your Own Duds originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Uniqlo Launches a Facebook-Based Street Style Site

Leila Brillson — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:40:00 EST

When Uniqlo opened in New York, suddenly everyone had a place to shop for affordable, well-made jeans and tops. But, as with with anything in this city that is stylish and affordable, those pieces quickly became ubiquitous, leaving fashionistas to pair the store's basics with their own accoutrements. To celebrate this exploration of style, Uniqlo -- a company that has long been a proponent of new media -- has set up its own type of style-spotting site. Called Uniqlooks, fashion forward individuals can submit their favorite looks -- as long as a piece of Uniqlo is included -- to be voted upon by the Uniqlo-loving crowd. The looks with the most "likes" at the end of the week win as the "featured" looks. Since the new venture is a simple Facebook app, you only need allow it access to your Facebook profile in order to join.

While you can view the looks featured in each image (a cute blazer here, a cozy long sleeve there), three major issues arise. First, clicking a tagged photo of Uniqlo pants simply brings up the generic 'bottoms,' and not the specific item. Next, Uniqlo doesn't offer any online retail in the U.S., so, unless you're based in NYC, you are SOL. Finally, aside from bragging rights or ego-feeding, there is no real reason to submit and continue to vote for your favorite looks. Unless, of course, you are a diehard Uniqlo fan -- which exists in Soho. Trust us.

Uniqlo Launches a Facebook-Based Street Style Site originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nike Sneakers Customized With Google, Firefox and Twitter Themes

Caleb Johnson — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST

Customized kicks aren't just for the cool kids. For proof, check out these customized Nike Dunks inspired by Firefox, Twitter and Google. The colorful hi-tops are designed by Daniel Reese, who sells a number of other nerd-themed kicks at his site Brass Monki. Most of his custom sneakers, which are available in limited runs, retail for between $200 and $250. Honestly, that's a small price to pay for showing off your Web browser, microblogging and search engine allegiance everywhere you walk, right?

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Nike Sneakers Customized With Google, Firefox and Twitter Themes originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Designer Derek Lam Crowd-Sources Summer Collection on eBay

Leila Brillson — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:15:00 EST

Derek Lam's Fashion Week shows are always attended by the style elite. This season, Anna Wintour sat front row, near Joe Zee and Derek Blasberg, and, last season, Leighton Meester and Rachel Zoe watched the presentation. Throughout the years, Lam has become a hallowed part of New York fashion, like Donna Karan or Ralph Lauren. But for a part of his Spring '11 collection, Lam has decided to opt for crowd-sourcing, not star-spotting.

As Alber Elbaz (of Lanvin) did with H&M or Rodarte did with Target, Mr. Lam is doing a diffusion line. Instead of offering shoddily made versions of garments that vaguely echo runway themes, though, he's heading online. By teaming up with eBay, Lam has produced 16 pieces for a lower-priced ($125 to $295) market. (Granted, they aren't the $25 to $50 price tags that Target collaborations can bring consumers, but Lam uses lower-end luxe materials, like poplin cotton or silk georgette -- meaning they might last more than one season.) eBay users can go online and vote for their favorite looks (countless times, it appears), and the top five will be produced, and then sold, through the auction site.

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Designer Derek Lam Crowd-Sources Summer Collection on eBay originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hipstamatic Launches 'Chunky' Glam NY Fashion Week Lens

Leila Brillson — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST

The go-to app for iPhone-obsessed glamour shooters, Hipstamatic knows its audience well enough to launch the new 'Chunky' lens at New York Fashion Week. Developed by fashion photog Chiun-Kai Shih, the lens will be available until February 18th for free, and then as part of the illustriously named SOHO pack, which has a stark noir offering and a lens inspired by "mysteriously aged darkness found only in a cup of morning joe." So if your Facebook feed is being flooded with iPhone shots straight from the desk of Mario Testino, all we can say is, "Vaseline lens, anyone?"

Gallery: Hipstamatic 200

Hipstamatic Launches 'Chunky' Glam NY Fashion Week Lens originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Fashion Week on Twitter: Take Your Seat in the Digital Front Row

Leila Brillson — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:10:00 EST

Watching events unfold Twitter is no longer just an interesting pastime, but a crucial way to keep abreast of cultural, political or sports-oriented happenings. We broke down the best accounts to stalk for the Super Bowl -- but, in many ways, that's a piece of cake. The event, pre- and post-game, lasts half of a day, has one location, and features two discernible sides. New York Fashion Week, on the other hand, is a week-long event with thousands of designers, hundreds of celebrities, an uncountable amount of info, and hordes of image-hungry bloggers (and Tumblrs) ready to spot the next big thing. So, we've got your Twitter list broken down by your needs and wants, hitting the best and brightest.

Note: Big names didn't mean automatic inclusion on our list. Instead, we considered factors like frequency and quality of tweets, along with insider info (no one wants to read a hundred retweets or myriad #followfriday lists). Enjoy the drama, beauty and excitement as it unfolds. We certainly will.

(Full disclosure: The author of this post also writes for StyleList, InterviewMagazine.com and Refinery29. She also tries to tell everyone in the Switched.com office how to dress, but is rarely heeded.)

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New York Fashion Week on Twitter: Take Your Seat in the Digital Front Row originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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See New York Fashion Week Shows Stream Live, Thanks To YouTube

Leila Brillson — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST

In a partnership that makes so much sense it is almost shocking that it didn't happen earlier, YouTube is going to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The video site is streaming shows direct from Lincoln Center, letting the rest of the world witness what select New York Elite fight, starve and release hound-like interns to see. Partnering with Maybelline, and with backstage editorial help from YouTube accounts of FashionTV, Nylon and Vogue, the site is live-streaming shows from everyone from Tommy Hilfiger to Vivienne Tam to Christian Siriano. Check out youtube.com/liverunway, where you can tune into shows and check out the schedule for the upcoming week, starting today.

See New York Fashion Week Shows Stream Live, Thanks To YouTube originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kenneth Cole Redefines Classy With Cairo Tweet

Matthew Zuras — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:10:00 EST

This week, the Social Media Outreach Award goes to Kenneth Cole, the brand that offers sensible shoes and faux-leather bags to the upscale T.J. Maxx shopper. Earlier today, the company managed to mix its ever-so-witty wordplay ("If gas prices continue to rise, why not switch to pumps? -Kenneth Cole") with current political events across the Atlantic. When the KC PR team heard about the damage to the Egyptian museum and the five people who died in the clashes yesterday, they thought: TIME TO SELL SOME SHOES!

Taking to Twitter, Kenneth Cole appropriated the #Cairo hashtag and tweeted: "Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KC." Good stuff, Kenneth! Way to show the world that America isn't full of naive opportunists intent on hawking olive drab chic.

UPDATE: After the Internet exploded, Kenneth Cole kinda apologized.
UPDATE #2: Now Kenneth Cole is really sorry. The original tweet has been deleted, and he's issued an apology through Facebook. Some Facebook fans aren't buying it, and an @BPGlobalPR-style parody account has popped up.

Kenneth Cole Redefines Classy With Cairo Tweet originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched Giveaway: Speck Netbook/iPad Case Makes Your Social Life Easier

Leila Brillson — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:05:00 EST

Every day that we go to work, we have a dilemma. We must tote our most crucial instrument, our laptop, virtually everywhere, but what happens when the work day ends? Do we accompany associates for a drink, carrying a large bag we've scored from one of countless tech conventions? Do we use a briefcase, a messenger bag, a suitcase? Our laptop bags are not social-call-friendly; they're bulky eyesores that fit our MacBooks perfectly, but send us digging through the slim, restrictive pocket, rifling frantically for our subway pass, which has slid down the back of the bag, squashed between the battery of the 'Book and the ungiving fabric of the bag. Of course, any laptop bag that is actually large enough for our gadget as well as for whatever we need to live our lives as normal people is usually ugly. So, typically, we resort to bulky backpacks; what choice is there?

At CES, we met up with the hip, perfectly designed products of Speck -- stuff to suit our phones and PCs that didn't make us want to claw our eyes out. With their rad prints, such as the trompe l'oeil china pattern, we especially like the Burton-designed iPod cases. (iPod cases? That we like? We were shocked!) And then there was the incredibly rugged PixelSkin. But the A-Line bag, a fabric, over-the-shoulder netbook holder that has all the features of modern living (e.g., iPod holder, myriad pockets, headphone pass-through for easy listening) and doesn't have that nylon, reflector-strip look that serves as a clear give-away you just came from work. The purple contrast interior adds a flash of color, and the single-button flap keeps things clean and minimal. The A-line shape, narrow at top and flared at the bottom, is classic but still elegant, like the skirt that shares its shape.

If you want one this minute, head over to Speck, where they are a reasonable $59.95. The generous return policy lets you try it on, model it for your cat, and, if you don't like it, send it back. We liked the bag so much we begged for one of our own -- but we decided that it'd be way cooler to pass it off to you guys. So, enter to win the cool carry-all here. The next time you are off to have drinks after work, you'll look frustratingly put-together, and your pals with stiff Timbuk2s and Jansports will wonder how you had time to stop home and change satchels. Trust us; your briefcase, hobo bag or messenger from college will never miss you.

Gallery: Speck Giveaway Images

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Switched Giveaway: Speck Netbook/iPad Case Makes Your Social Life Easier originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese Go Crazy for Light-Up Smiles

Terrence O'Brien — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Wearing gold fronts and jewels in your teeth is so Aughts. The 2010s call for a thoroughly more modern oral adornment. Enter Japanese fashion designers Mr. Ishibashi and Daito Manabe, who have created LED inserts that are worn behind the teeth. The light-up smiles are now being used as part of a marketing push by Laforet Harajuku, a popular department store in Tokyo, and are becoming a much sough-after accessory. The lights can be controlled wirelessly by a computer, and can be made to change colors or blink. Will they become the new must-have accessory for scenesters here in the U.S.? Check out the videos after the break, including one that follows a gang of school girls wandering the streets, looking a bit like they're on the hunt for souls to harvest. We're both intrigued and terrified.

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Japanese Go Crazy for Light-Up Smiles originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flashy Adidas Touchscreen Helps You Buy Shoes, Won't Hold Your Feet

Caleb Johnson — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:20:00 EST

Adidas and Intel recently unveiled a massive touchscreen wall that allows shoe retailers to house a large inventory without taking up so much floorspace. The adiVerse Virtual Footwear Wall, which was designed by U.K. group Start Creative, was recently unveiled at the 2011 National Retail Federation Convention. When a shopper approaches it, the wall determines whether the person is male or female, and makes initial footwear recommendations, according to FastCompany. From there, shoppers can browse 3-D images of products, as many as 8,000, rendered on the wall. Aside from general specs on each shoe, the adiVerse wall hosts a wealth of marketing tools to be enjoyed -- like behind-the-scenes looks at a shoe's design, videos of the shoe in action and user reviews from social networking sites. When the shopper has made a final decision, he or she can try on the shoe, check its pricing, options and size availability, and add it to a shopping cart. Then an employee wielding a tablet will come over to help confirm and finish the transaction.

The first store equipped with an adiVerse wall will open in the U.K. sometime next year. We aren't sure it's such a viable business move to install a giant touchscreen wall in your tiny shoe store, though. It's clearly a way for retailers to save space and compete with online shopping, but the wall can't come cheap, and, in our opinion, shoppers can get a similar experience at home on their laptops.

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Flashy Adidas Touchscreen Helps You Buy Shoes, Won't Hold Your Feet originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indie Retailer Moxsie Lets Twitter Fans Be the Buyer (And Switched Readers Score, Too!)

Leila Brillson — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:10:00 EST

Don't call it crowd-sourcing. It isn't quite that. It's not exactly social networking either, though the idea behind Moxsie's newest initiative does harness the large-scale power of Twitter and the populace voting capacity of groupthink. Moxsie, the Web retailer just shy of a two-year anniversary, features what CEO Jon Fahrner calls "under-sold, cutting edge" designers, looking for a Web space to display their sartorial offerings. Brands like 80%20, Kelsi Dagger and Tulle receive lovingly produced pages, with their brand story, country of origin and popular pieces featured front and center. And in order for the designers, which Moxsie carefully chooses (must be emerging, not too expensive), to put their best gear forward, the site turns to Twitter.

"I don't care how good of a buyer you are, you can't do the research of 100,000 people on the frontline," Fahrner says, talking about Moxsie's hefty Twitter adherents. "Which is why we engage in 'open merchandising.'" Instead of crowd-sourcing and letting a blind group of anonymous Web surfers cast their group, the Moxsie crew has dreamt up something called #buyerchat, which allows Moxsie followers to directly critique and suggest thoughts on the clothing and accessories they most like to buy. Facilitated by Moxsie buyers, Twitter users and actual individuals making crucial choices -- between colors, straps, sizes and what Fahrner calls sentiment -- get to talk shop. In fact, one of Moxsie's best brands, an on-trend, leather-and-heels shoe company called Matiko, launched a third color of a shoe that the watching public craved. "Suddenly," Fahrner says, "designers are receiving extraordinary feedback based on what's really relevant to the buyer."

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Worst of Gilt Takes Flash-Sale Site to Task

Leila Brillson — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:20:00 EST

You know how frustrated you get when someone successfully documents a thing that you and your friends do all the time, but never thought of successfully documenting yourself? Welcome the Worst of Gilt, a site that shows how insane rich people can get when they think they are getting a deal. Granted, our Editor-in-Chief would go barefoot without Gilt, but we've linked each other to heinous dog tutus and suit-kilts plenty of times. We just didn't think to make a site out of it. Nuts. (Also, as an aside, their picks are spot-on, but Alejandro Ingelmo can DO NO WRONG.)

Worst of Gilt Takes Flash-Sale Site to Task originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charlie Bucket's 'Fluid Dress' Is a Morphing Series of Tubes

Leila Brillson — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST

Charlie Bucket is a bit of a star in the hacked crafts crowd, having debuted his Fluid Dress at the Maker Faire festival in California last year. Yet, showing the dress in its most-perfected form, Bucket's just-released video is time-lapsed and edited together to demonstrate how beautiful (and fluid) the Fluid Dress could actually be. Composed of over 600 feet of knitted tubing and a hefty-looking pump meant to be worn as a backpack, the dress shoots liquid through the looped hoses, changing the color of the garment and sending movement across its surface. By shooting differently colored material through the tubes, the dress changes hue, and even appears animated. This practice netted Bucket's Liquid Sculpture a Vimeo Award for the 'Captured' category -- but we like the sartorial take on the liquid-as-color practice found in the Fluid Dress. The dress, says Bucket, weighs in at five pounds dry (or eight filled with fluid), which isn't that daunting.

A moving, color-changing dress wouldn't be a hard sell, as long as the pneumatic pump was minimally invasive. We'd love to see it tap into the user's mood -- increasing movement with heart rates or body temperature -- but, for now, watching Bucket's lovely video (after the break) will suffice.

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Charlie Bucket's 'Fluid Dress' Is a Morphing Series of Tubes originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Karl Lagerfeld Compares Facebook to Brancusi, And Some Other Crazy Talk

Matthew Zuras — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:10:00 EST

God, we love Karl Lagerfeld. Maybe you're not a fashion fan, maybe you're offended by his unapologetic weightism or maybe you think he looks like the death mask of Bela Lugosi, but you cannot ignore the man's witticisms (if you can call them that) or his pronouncements on what is and is not de rigueur. "I'm rather pro-prostitution," the designer once said. "I admire people who do it. It can't be much fun. Thank goodness for it. People need relief or they become murderers."

In addition to prostitution, he also admires technology. The man who famously owns 300 iPods gave an interview to the obscure (and apt) Luxury Channel, in which he talked about how iPads and other technological knicknacks "are very beautiful objects." Newfangled tech doesn't suffer from bad taste or bad design, he says, "because bad design IS bad taste today." He added, "They are flawless, in a way. Facebook is a flawless object. It's for me like a Brancusi."

Continue reading Karl Lagerfeld Compares Facebook to Brancusi, And Some Other Crazy Talk

Karl Lagerfeld Compares Facebook to Brancusi, And Some Other Crazy Talk originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boutiques.com: Google's Fashion Foray Is Fun (and Full of Filters), But Falls Flat

Leila Brillson — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST

Gosh, fashion quizzes are incredibly awkward. Those endlessly clickable little surveys of your likes and dislikes are often so broadly wrong in their attempts to translate something so nuanced, particular and personalized into a "type." We had trouble with this when we sampled Like.com, because the fashion world -- suddenly rocked by DIY bloggers' and street style fans' indie "curation" -- is struggling to tap into these HTML-savvy stylists. A cult of fashion followers have stopped turning to magazines like Elle and Vogue for advice, and are now communicating with one another on sites like Lookbook.nu, Polyvore and StyleLikeU. So, to reinvent the entire shopping experience, fashion retailers have decided to get more personal, tapping into that independent spirit. And nothing says 'personal' like a load of quizzes.

The style blogosphere has been bubbling with rumors of Google entering the game, considering its acquisition of the aforementioned Like.com and a mysterious Google event slated for tomorrow in New York. So, this morning, the world woke up to Boutiques.com, a stab at personalizing the shopping experience while adding an element of social networking. Using Google's search expertise with Like.com's visual matching technology, Boutiques.com hopes to narrow down the shopping experience -- not just by style or "genre," but by using silhouettes, prints, style and even price. Kathy Horyn, New York Times fashion critic and a major pundit in the fashion world, writes, "That may be Boutiques.com's ultimate game-changer -- how precisely it analyzes your preferences to give you what you requested... Search engines tend to give you stuff you don't really want. A request for fern-colored shoes might yield fern shoes, plus fern-print blouses."

No one wants fern-print blouses.

Continue reading Boutiques.com: Google's Fashion Foray Is Fun (and Full of Filters), But Falls Flat

Boutiques.com: Google's Fashion Foray Is Fun (and Full of Filters), But Falls Flat originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Digital Artist Fashions Dazzling Laser Dancewear

Warren Riddle — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:17:00 EST

In a true "What took so long?" development, digital artist Wei-Chieh Shih has helped to design a stunning piece of technological apparel. Shih adorned a nylon suit with 200 laser diodes to create a spectacularly luminescent shirt. The gleaming garment, which almost looks like a marriage between shoulder pads and a falconry sleeve, emits a brilliant dance of laser beams.

The video nicely demonstrates the mesmerizing benefits for dancers and other performers, but the laser sleeves might be even more appropriate for another (slightly less artistic) breed of dancer. "The Situation" and his 'Jersey Shore' sidekicks could absolutely fist-pump their way to the most wickedly awesome laser light blowout to ever grace the Eastern Seaboard. Check out a video of the laser-wear after the break.

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Digital Artist Fashions Dazzling Laser Dancewear originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gucci's 3-D Glasses Make You Look Good When No One Can See You

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:35:00 EST

It's no big secret that people hate 3-D glasses, which have probably been the biggest barrier to the widespread adoption of 3-D TV. Consumer glasses are ugly, uncomfortable and expensive. But while we wait for Toshiba to get its glasses-free 3-D tech to market, Gucci is now catering to vain geeks who worry that the movie theater handouts aren't flattering enough (or are dipped in a soup of commoner's germs). Gucci's $225 aviators hold a pair of passively polarized 3-D lenses, rather than the more expensive, battery-powered active kind. The company claims that the lenses have been treated to provide the best image possible, and transmit more light than your typical pair of 3-D glasses.

You'll be able to wander down to your local Gucci boutique and grab a pair starting this December, thereby ensuring that you're the most fashionable person sitting in the dark with nobody looking at you.

Gucci's 3-D Glasses Make You Look Good When No One Can See You originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Household Appliances Make Great, Abstract Footwear

Leila Brillson — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:45:00 EST

The late, great Alexander McQueen could do anything, but he specialized in the strange and beautiful. So when The Hairpin alerted us to Lernert and Sander's tribute to the extreme shoe for Selfridges, it was clear that the design duo took a page from McQueen's breathtaking book. Shoes made of irons, brooms and modern sewing machines are not meant to be worn, but mix the banal with the extreme -- which is more beautiful than boring appliance design, anyway.

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Household Appliances Make Great, Abstract Footwear originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Virtual Miracle on 34th Street: Macy's to Debut Digital 'Magic Fitting Room'

Matthew Zuras — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:10:00 EST

The famous Macy's in Manhattan's Herald Square will debut a so-called Magic Fitting Room next month, which will allow shoppers to virtually try on clothes. A 72-inch mirror display will digitally swathe you with the latest styles from Marc Ecko, Alfani or whatever it is they sell there. (We don't like to go, because the staff literally corrals shoppers into one-way, single-file lines during the holidays.)

The Magic Fitting Room (which we'd only call 'magic' if it can shave 20 pounds off our sides) uses augmented reality software to work its wizardry, but we're not sure if any kind of AR markers are necessary to get the process going. (We're reminded, however, of the World Wildlife Fund's AR T-shirt, which simulates the experience of being shot in the chest as you stand in front of a mirror.) The shopper simply "flicks" her desired piece of clothing from an iPad app interface and onto the mirror, powered by Windows 7 .Net WPF Gesture Control. We'll have to stop by the store (read: spend an afternoon wading through a sea of Midtown tourists to get from the Petites to the Men's department), when the Magic debuts in November.

A Virtual Miracle on 34th Street: Macy's to Debut Digital 'Magic Fitting Room' originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I-ELLA Combines eBay, Gilt Groupe and a Bazaar Into Charitable Shopping

Leila Brillson — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:10:00 EST

Discount stores, invite-only sites, Etsy and eBay: there is hardly a reason to head to a department store anymore. Unless, of course, you still appreciate the social aspect of shopping -- getting a friend's opinion, promising to let her borrow your item, or using her to help narrow down your selections. So Ella Gorlga, a young entrepreneur based in New York, caught this discrepancy between IRL and e-retail. Sure, gals want the ease of shopping from home, but they also like the curated, refined selection that comes with the assistance of a trusted friend. What she created was not a shopper's social network -- though she says that Twitter and Facebook integration constitute a part of her site -- but instead a space for fashionistas to post their closet, and do what the modern shopper does: buy, sell, lend or swap. "I-ELLA combines three core elements," Gorgla explains. "My love for fashion. It's really a love and a passion, something that drives me, because my background is in engineering with a focus on business. Secondly, I wanted to reshape the shopping landscape, come up with innovative ways to present retail and shopping. And lastly, and this is really important, do some work that impacts the world and non-profits, giving people a chance to get involved that is non-invasive."

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I-ELLA Combines eBay, Gilt Groupe and a Bazaar Into Charitable Shopping originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diana Eng Hits Maker Faire With Her Forward-Thinking Tech Couture

Leila Brillson — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST

Making her name as the de facto designer of fab, fantastic techno creations, Diana Eng's forward-thinking designs have ranged from jellyfish-like underwater sea creatures to candy raver. This weekend, we saw Eng's most recent fashion show at New York's Maker Faire -- which was packed due to her affinity for attracting the magnetic and physical. Inspired by underwater and fairy tales, her show had LED-sculptures, and bulbous, balloon-filled dresses (that dramatically opened to release the balloons in the room). She explained that she takes inspirations from designers like Belgium's Martin Margiela and Hussein Chalayan, who are part of the group of mainstream designers known for their architectural, avant garde shows and clothes.

While none of her creations are street-ready (models held battery packs in pockets or underneath dresses), Eng's clothing offers a unique relationship between technology and clothing. The Twinkle Dress features LED circuits hand-embroidered with silverized thread housed in the neck of the dress, and reacts to the wearers voice and external sounds. The moveable, transforming Deployable Hoodie is constructed of pleated and folded red wool that expands into a large hood, protecting the wearer. Eng is familiar enough with the fashion world (she was a contestant on the second season of 'Project Runway') to craft dreamy and feminine dresses and shrugs, but is near-scientific in her materials, which include accelerometers, circuit boards and micro-controllers. While it's clear Eng is still working on ways to interweave couture and electronics (some pieces were busy, struggling to stay aesthetically pleasing while housing interactive components), her role as "fashion geek" is officially cemented.

Gallery: Diana Eng at Maker Faire: New York 2010

Interested in fixing fashions like Diana Eng? Enter our 'Fashioning Technology' book giveaway here.

Diana Eng Hits Maker Faire With Her Forward-Thinking Tech Couture originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spray-On 'Fabrican' Clothing Should Be a Hit With Hospitals, Bondage Enthusiasts

Matthew Zuras — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST

We'd make a joke about hipsters and "painted-on" jeans if every other blogger hadn't done it first. So what can we say about this spray-on fabric developed by Imperial College London and Fabrican? Lycra fetishists and zentai enthusiasts will probably get a kick out of it -- depending, of course, on whether or not you can kick in it. (Badum?) [Ed. note: No.]

According to Wired, the material is comprised of short fibers and binding polymers, mixed with a solvent that evaporates as it's sprayed onto your body (or any other surface) with an aerosol can. You can layer it light or heavily, just like spray paint or liquid latex, and it can be made with various materials, like wool or linen, for alternative textures. Once dried, the garment can be removed and washed without losing its form.

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Spray-On 'Fabrican' Clothing Should Be a Hit With Hospitals, Bondage Enthusiasts originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 19 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oakley Plans Ski Bum-Worthy 3-D Glasses for Holiday Release

Caleb Johnson — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST

Check out Oakley's new line of premium tacky/cool (depending on who you are) 3-D glasses, which will be released in time for the holidays. These "optically correct" shades use Oakley's HDO-3-D technology, and apparently offer better visual clarity, a wider peripheral viewing angle and truer alignment of 3-D images than other glasses. While pricing hasn't been announced, we're betting you won't have to be the Queen of England to afford these 3-D specs.

Oakley Plans Ski Bum-Worthy 3-D Glasses for Holiday Release originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recaps From the Runway on Twitter's Fashion Week Hub

Matthew Zuras — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST

Can't get your invites in order? Stuck on a desert island? No matter -- you can still follow NY Fashion Week on Twitter, and peruse news selected by the likes of Bergdorf Goodman and Women's Wear Daily. But, if the rush of ready-to-wear tweets gives you runway brain-freeze, you can also catch daily roundups to separate your Chais from your Sirianos.

Recaps From the Runway on Twitter's Fashion Week Hub originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stop Your Grinnin' and Drop Your Linen: Ripley's 'Aliens' Reeboks Soon on Sale

Matthew Zuras — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:15:00 EST

The 'Back To The Future' hoverboard and self-lacing sneakers have already been wrenched from the film world and into reality. (Even Nike is patenting its own 'BTTF' lacing tech.) But, as definitive proof that everything old eventually becomes new again, you can soon get your hands on Ellen Ripley's Reeboks from 'Aliens,' although maybe only in Japan. "That's it, man! Game over, man, game over!"

Stop Your Grinnin' and Drop Your Linen: Ripley's 'Aliens' Reeboks Soon on Sale originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Austin's Recycled and Colorful Cocktail Dress Made From Computer Wire

Leila Brillson — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST

Last week was Austin Fashion Week, and the event's 'Keep Austin Beautiful' show featured upcycled and recycled designs from Texan artists. Designer Tina Sparkles (who might be a Baz Luhrmann fan) created a one-shouldered frock, called 'System Supernova,' out of discarded computer wire. Sure, it might not be too movement-friendly, but the multicolored twists and inherent volume of the material made for a fab, full-bodied skirt.

Austin's Recycled and Colorful Cocktail Dress Made From Computer Wire originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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M-Dress by CuteCircuit: The Little Black Dress That's Also a Cell Phone

Matthew Zuras — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:10:00 EST

Who needs a clutch purse to hold a cell phone when you could just slip into the cell phone itself? Design outfit CuteCircuit has recently announced the M-Dress, a crepe silk-looking affair with soft telephony electronics. While most of the electronic womenswear we've seen has tended toward the dramatic (including CuteCircuit's own Galaxy Dress), this cell-phone-cum-sheath brings a sophisticated, if funereal, minimalism to the tech-couture scene.

The M-Dress contains a slot, just beneath its tag, for your cell phone's SIM card, thereby keeping the same number. When the phone "rings" (or, let's hope, gently vibrates), the wearer answers by simply lifting a palm to her ear, speaks into what looks like an embedded speaker/microphone, and returns it downward to end the call. The problems posed by this phone/dress, though, are substantial. With no display, you can only dial out one pre-programmed number, and you'll have no idea who's calling your frock. But we're not too upset about the missing features. (Aw, you can't play 'Angry Birds' on your dress?) That's because we remember it's a dress that makes phone calls. Sure, you'd look a bit batty talking into your hand, but no more so than the Bluetooth-headsetters that jabber on street corners like mental hospital runaways. Just think, ladies, one less thing to haul in your purse.

M-Dress by CuteCircuit: The Little Black Dress That's Also a Cell Phone originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-Free iPad Comes at the Cost of Wearing a Ridiculous Shirt

Matt Evans — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Computers

Despite a great level of ingenuity on some companies' parts, finding a useful accessory for your iPad these days is akin to sifting through junk at a garage sale. Syte Shirt, a recent startup, has just entered the peripheral field with an accessory it feels will finally provide a useful casing for the iPad. By placing the tablet inside a T-shirt, with the screen turned outward, the Pad becomes entertainment for passersby and friends alike.

At this point, you might be wondering if you read over the part where the usefulness of the Syte Shirt is explained. You didn't. In fact, we debated its purpose for a good day, and all we could come up with was using it to make a pretty spot-on Teletubby costume. (But, at $50, it better be one fantastic Tinky Winky.) However, the inventors of this franken-shirt one-upped us with a list of utilities, including (but not limited to) "Broadcast(ing) a football game while enjoying a tailgate party," or "Play(ing) interactive games to entertain your kids while keeping your hands free." In general, we're skeptical of any product that makes our clothing the point of focus for tailgating bros. [From: Engadget]

Hands-Free iPad Comes at the Cost of Wearing a Ridiculous Shirt originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazing Daft Punk Helmet Leaves Us Neon Green With Envy

Ben Deitz — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Audio/Video

Daft Punk, the French house-music duo of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, are almost as famed for their masked appearances as they are for their music. Their gold and silver helmets, ablaze with blinking patterns of multi-colored LCD lights, have long been a source for cosplay inspiration. However, this recently finished replica of de Homem-Christo's helmet may take the prize as the best rendition yet.

The helmet was a commission crafted by Harrison Krix of Volpin Props in Atlanta. Construction took over 17 months, and, in his own words, "countless hours, multiple dead ends, [and] hundreds of lessons learned." Krix's painstaking process - which he has generously documented on his website - involved clay and epoxy sculpts, laser cutting, resin casting, gold plating, soldering and more. All his hard work has paid off, though, as proven by the beauty and craftsmanship of the finished piece. Krix would not disclose the cost of the helmet, but did write on his blog that the lighting alone reached $700.

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Amazing Daft Punk Helmet Leaves Us Neon Green With Envy originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fits.me Shape-Shifting Robots Help Shoppers Find the Proper Fit

Caleb Johnson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:36:00 EST

Filed under: Web

No matter their size, everybody has purchased clothing online, and then discovered, upon delivery, that it didn't fit right. But a European company has a solution to this problem -- shape-shifting robots. According to BBC News, an Estonian company has created moving mannequins that allow shoppers to view clothing items on more than 100,000 different bodies' shapes and sizes before they make a purchase.

The company, Fits.me, enlisted Maarja Kruusma, a biorobotics professor at the University of Tallinn, to help with the project. Kruusma talked with tailors and fashion designers to determine what measurements were most important in determining the proper fit. For men, it was shoulder and neck, and, for women, it was much more complicated, so the team focused on developing a male mannequin. (They hope to have a female mannequin completed by October.) The end result is a creepy torso that determines your measurements, and accordingly shifts its panels, which are placed at the neck, upper arms and stomach. "I guess it's kind of like The Terminator," Kruusma told the BBC.

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Fits.me Shape-Shifting Robots Help Shoppers Find the Proper Fit originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Design Concepts: Advances in Textiles, From Bacteria Dresses to Acoustic Threads

Matthew Zuras — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: Columns

The Web is teeming with the unrealized ideas of both students and established designers who set out to produce astonishing renderings and prototypes for unusual products. Unfortunately, due to the lack of time, money, or technology, many of those products never progress from the planning stages to the mass market. But that doesn't mean we can't salivate over them, nevertheless.

In 1855, Swiss chemist George Audemars developed the first artificial fiber by dipping a needle into mulberry bark pulp and gummy rubber, producing something like a poor simulacrum of silk. The result was later refined, and eventually came to be known as rayon. With this development came polyester, which ultimately changed how clothing was worn and made. We're still experimenting with new textiles, from natural sources like wood and bacteria (see below) to upcycled soda bottles and electronic fibers. New products and designs are all well and good, but they require interesting materials to come to life; without advancements in textiles, we'd all still be wearing wool swimsuits to the beach. (This is not the summer to even entertain that thought.) So, check out some of our favorite experimental textiles after the break.

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Design Concepts: Advances in Textiles, From Bacteria Dresses to Acoustic Threads originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marc Jacobs Discovers E-Commerce, Somehow NYT's Style Section Is Shocked

Matthew Zuras — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Web

In a class-war-baiting article typical of the Sunday Style section, the New York Times published a piece describing fashion's fall from grace and into the common world of the Web. Years ago, luxury clothing-makers scoffed at the Internet, and favored the dignified experience of shopping in a real, brick-and-mortar boutique, but, says Stephanie Clifford, "in came the recession, and out went the niceties." Poor fashion!

If only it were true. The Times focuses on Marc Jacobs and its $5 billion brand, which has been late to the e-commerce party. Although a number of luxury brands, including Marc Jacobs, have set up online showrooms, the products aren't for sale online. MJ will be changing all that in September, however, when its website goes retail.

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Marc Jacobs Discovers E-Commerce, Somehow NYT's Style Section Is Shocked originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Queen Elizabeth II Blings in Swarovski 3-D Shades

Caleb Johnson — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Audio/Video

Regular folks, like us, wear plain-old, recycled 3-D glasses when we're at the movies. But when you're the Queen of England, not just any 3-D spectacles will do. That's why, according to the Guardian, the Queen wore customized 3-D glasses (adorned with Swarovski crystals forming the letter Q) during a recent visit to Pinewood Toronto Studios in Canada. Elizabeth II's extravagant eyewear was designed by her dresser and personal assistant, Angela Kelly, who might have the most ridiculous job in the world. During her stay, the 84-year-old Queen watched a 3-D film shoot of a Bhangra dance troupe, and, then, enjoyed a private playback of the 3-D footage. By sporting some blingin' 3-D shades, the Queen just endeared herself to both rappers and nerds in one fell swoop. Respect, son. [From: Guardian, via: Engadget]

Queen Elizabeth II Blings in Swarovski 3-D Shades originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Back to the Future' Inspired Shoes Really Tie Themselves

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Playroom

'Back to the Future,' like America, just had a birthday (although it only turned 25), and our feeds are blowing up with McFly-related memorabilia. Back in 2008, Nike released a pair of special edition 'Back to the Future II' inspired high-tops, but, as badass as the Marty McFly 2015 Nike Hyperdunks were, they lacked one important feature: the ability to tie themselves. Just in time for the cult movie's anniversary, ingenious do-it-yourselfer Blake Bevin strapped micro-controllers and motors to a pair of brightly hued Jordans in order to bring the futuristic footwear to life.

The design is simple, if a bit cumbersome in its execution. A pressure-sensitive plate in the heel of the shoe is connected to the impressively versatile Arduino micro-controller. When the Arduino detects that you've stepped into the sneaker, it activates a pair of servos that pull the laces tight. When it's time to slip out of the Hyperdunks, a touch-sensitive switch, mounted on the back of the shoe, reverses the servos.

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'Back to the Future' Inspired Shoes Really Tie Themselves originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I.B.M.'s Jeopardy-Playing Watson Profiled, Optimize Your Outdoor Audio

Thomas Houston — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:16:00 EST

There's a load of great tech news happening out there every day, and, unfortunately, we just can't cover it all. Here are a few of the other noteworthy things we saw today on our never-ending journey through the wild, wild Web.

Watson, I.B.M.'s Jeopardy-playing supercomputer, gets profiled in the New York Times Magazine. See how you fare against a chunk of silicon that can understand natural language in this mini-game. [From: New York Times]
It's the season of outdoor parties, and the quality of your sound setup should be a top tier concern. Unplggd runs through ways to keep the party moving. [From: Unplggd]
Behance user John Woo illustrates the 'Star Wars' set as outfitted by some of today's trendiest menswear brands. Vader opts for Band of Outsiders, while the ubiquitous Clone Trooper is more of an A.P.C. kinda guy. [From: Behance, via: Geekosystem]
Retro NES Mario gets the 3-D rotating-animated-gif treatment. [From: Joshua Topolsky]

Got a tip? Want to talk to us? In need of more choice links like these? Drop us a line on Twitter and check out our Tumblr blog.

I.B.M.'s Jeopardy-Playing Watson Profiled, Optimize Your Outdoor Audio originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Design Concepts: Future Fashion

Matthew Zuras — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:38:00 EST

Filed under: Columns

Devotees of our Design Concepts column know that we already covered LED dresses back in January, but we're not quite done with fashion. We realized that we were being very narrow-minded when it came to the collusion of fashion and tech, and that our attire doesn't need to light up to qualify as clothing of the future (although we've included a few more articles that do). We thought about processes and materials, but mostly about wearability. Could we see people wearing these clothes on the street? Certainly. (Even singer Katy Perry got on the light-up dress train recently.) While they're not costumes, these designs are bound to turn heads.

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Design Concepts: Future Fashion originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 06 May 2010 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ping Hoody Makes Facebook Fashionable

Ben Deitz — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Web, Social Networking

Jennifer Darmour, a Seattle based designer, has designed the perfect piece of e-apparel for the fashionably conscious Facebook obsessive.

The Ping hoody, which looks a bit like a Jedi robe, uses intuitive, natural actions to both provide Facebook alerts and allow the wearer to respond accordingly. For instance, the hoody "taps" the wearer on the shoulder to indicate that a comment has been left on the wearer's online profile. The tapping feedback can be customized, allowing users to assign different tapping methods to different Facebook friends. After receiving a request or alert, the wearer can respond through various actions, such as tying the Ping's waist bow, putting on the hood and closing the zipper.

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Ping Hoody Makes Facebook Fashionable originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cassette Playa's Augmented Reality Fashion Show Ditches Threads for Fantasy

Matthew Zuras — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Audio/Video, Playroom

London-based streetwear design label Cassette Playa recently presented its Autumn/Winter 2010 collection, incorporating augmented reality software and projections into the show. The label claimed that the idea of video game avatars figured heavily into this season's concept; as the consumer dons an outfit, she essentially becomes a new character. For the show, each of the analog looks contained an embedded barcode with an associated virtual look. While models bedecked in tribal face paint and wearing head pieces straight out of a manga comic, Cassette Playa used a webcam to stream the show onto a projection screen with an AR overlay.

The AR interventions seemed limited mainly to virtual masks and head gear, but this kind of fashion show opens up a world of opportunities for virtual catwalks. Will models in the future even need to wear the designer's clothes, or just a barcoded singlet that would eliminate the need for quick wardrobe changes? As one of the designers notes (in the video after the break), this kind of tech could be extended to consumers who want to style themselves in virtual threads before making a purchase. While we appreciate the commercial potential of AR fashion shows, we do hope that, for the moment, they remain in the realm of niche designers like Cassette Playa, who use the technology to find new ways of telling a fashion story. [From: Designboom]

Continue reading Cassette Playa's Augmented Reality Fashion Show Ditches Threads for Fantasy

Cassette Playa's Augmented Reality Fashion Show Ditches Threads for Fantasy originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minimalist Wipe Shirt Keeps Screens, and Your Look, Clean

Ben Deitz — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:40:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones

Having a highly smudged screen on your PDA or smartphone is like having a small stain on your your brand new shirt; no matter how nice, the whole package ends up tainted. Carrying around screen-cleaning wipes isn't an attractive option, so that's where Japanese design company FIFT comes into the picture.

Piloted by the husband and wife team of Katsunari and Ami Igarashi, FIFT has created the aptly named Wipe Shirt. The plain white shirt, which can fit any office or social situation, features an integrated microfiber pad designed for cleaning screens. As is rarely the case with other pieces of "functional" clothing, we'd wear the fashionable Wipe Shirt regardless of whether or not our screen needed constant care.

Continue reading Minimalist Wipe Shirt Keeps Screens, and Your Look, Clean

Minimalist Wipe Shirt Keeps Screens, and Your Look, Clean originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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