Fashion and the Revolution

Movers and Shakers

What does the future hold for the fashion industry?

Words Niku Kasmai

Until recently, fashion had been happy to rest on its laurels. While the technological revolution was overtaking the globe, fashion remained attached to traditional production techniques, with the vast majority of fashion houses still producing shirts, dresses, pants, skirts and shoes the same way they did 100 years ago. As other industries invested heavily in research and development, fashion most noticeably didn’t, limiting itself to shifting production from Europe and the United States to more affordable labor markets.

But the fashion world is on the verge of a revolution. For the first time in recent memory, and due to fierce competition from the likes of Internet giant Amazon, which now offers eight in-house clothing brands, designers are teaming up with tech companies to introduce incredible new manufacturing techniques and innovative materials.

When he showcased his spring/summer 2017 collection, Hussein Chalayan was one of the first designers to combine technology and fashion, and he did so with sunglasses powered by an Intel system that picks up the wearer’s emotions, and then projects imagery through the wearer’s belt to illustrate those feelings.

**Prada's spring/summer 2018 collection**

Other futuristic collaborations mixing fashion with tech include the Fitbit accessories designed by Tory Burch, allowing you to track your fitness routine in style via Tory Burch’s double-wrap, metal hinge bracelet. Then there’s Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket with Jacquard by Google. The jacket’s left sleeve is actually an interactive touchpad powered by a bluetooth-operated tag that’s rechargeable. Tech offerings inside the jacket sleeve are still limited – GPS, music – but they are a harbinger of things to come, a time in the near future when tech will operate via screenless devices located within our clothes.

Technology is also changing traditional manufacturing techniques. In a bid to transform fashion into an environmentally friendly industry, biotech companies are developing new clothing materials that no longer require needle and thread. They are instead grown in a science lab with DNA.

The shift toward sustainable fashion started a while back, most famously when Stella McCartney launched her fur-free and leather-free label in 2001. Insisting that great design was as important as the choice of fabrics, McCartney shocked the fashion world by achieving great success for her brand, while remaining true to her ethical fashion philosophy. “The really great thing about my shop is that there’s not one dead animal in it,” McCartney said. “Manolo’s got a load of fabric shoes as well! We use plastic, fabric, rubber – anything but leather. I almost feel like I’ve been put here to show everyone that it’s unnecessary.”

Fast-forward 17 years and there are now more eco-friendly brands than one can count, including clothing labels Nudie Jeans and Filippa K, both from Sweden, and Jungmaven from LA. Amsterdambased Dick Moby creates ethical eyewear, and shoe manufacturer Nisolo, based in the United States, carries handcrafted shoes made through sustainable practices in Peru, Mexico and Kenya. Knowledge Cotton Apparel from Denmark uses 100% organic cotton and recycled PET polyester for its casual menswear line, and New Yorkbased women’s label Edun works with artists and local communities across Africa to manufacture its ethical clothing. “We see the future in recycled materials and cellulose-based materials,” said Filippa K’s sustainability manager Erin Larsson, “but also in completely new ones. For example, what is waste for one industry might be a resource for us, such as milk fibers, coffee grounds, plastic retained from waste water, bi-products from algae processes.”

**Hussein Chalayan's spring/summer 2018 runway**

**The spring/summer 2018 collection by Christopher Kane**

The major fashion brands have also taken note of this global shift toward greener manufacturing practices. Prada now offers a selection of clothing pieces made across the globe that use each country’s area of expertise, and Giorgio Armani has banned faux fur from its fashion lexicon. Last year, Christopher Kane teamed up with ethical fashion business Eco-Age to create a sustainable collection for the Emma Watson flick Beauty and the Beast. The label used green materials like organic cotton and organic silk satin. And trailblazer Stella McCartney is developing new materials, including a type of silk made from yeast. “We try to make earth-friendly decisions whenever we can,” said McCartney. “It’s part of our brand DNA.”

**A futuristic look from Christopher Kane**

Giorgio Armani has banned faux fur from its fashion lexicon

Three styles from Giorgio Armani's spring/summer 2018 collection

Looking even further into the future, some companies are developing a type of machine that makes clothing, canceling out the need for human labor altogether. Seattlebased Sewbo has created an industrial robot that sews together a T-shirt, marking the first time ever that an entire piece of clothing was created through automated sewing. This milestone was announced by the technology’s inventor, Jonathan Zornow. “Avoiding labor issues and shortening supply chains will help reduce the complexity and headaches surrounding today’s intricate global supply network,” he said. “And digital manufacturing will revolutionize fashion.”