FALL/WINTER 2019
TECHNO LUXURY
SMALIKA VERMA | LXFM 740 PROF. OSCAR BETANCUR
TECHNO LUXURY HUMAN INTERACTION WITH TECHNOLOGY
TECHNO LUXURY FALL/WINTER 2019
“Unifying and often chortled, our undying love for technology has overpowered our lifestyle. Dependency on it, furthermore, has ensured indispensable utility and respectable position in routine.”
Technology affects the experience customers receive from products, services and ideas around the world. Ever since the term “Futurism” was coined, tech-driven and tech-oriented design has surfaced in the market. As human beings, we are surrounded by technology to an extent that it has become an indispensable part of our lives. The underlying aspect of experience is how Technology today has made many innovations possible, however technology can sometimes be scary and can counter-react the existence of natural phenomenon. TECHNO LUXURY cohesively provides the predicted course of technology driven experience as a trend. Considered the spirit of the times, TECHNO LUXURY looks at fashion, interiors, sports and the digital world.
© Smalika Verma | SPRING 2017 SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN
LOOKINSIDE
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INTERIORSOME
SLEEPSTYLE
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BETTERBATH
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DIMENSIONALISE
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BEJWELED
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FIT BUZZ
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ILLUMINAIRE
GENEROUS FLUIDITY
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REALITY'S SAKE
KICKSTART
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BONUS - TECHALERT
IRIS VAN HE
INFLUENCERS “It is rare that some names happen to influence the trend when the trend concerned is one of the biggest influencers of the decade.� Influencers for TechnoLuxury include renowned designers Iris van Herpen and Iris Apfel, YouTuber Marques Brownlee and tech giant FitBit.
FITBIT
Dutch Fashion Designer, Ir is known for her eccentric and garments on the runw exhibitions around the wo curiosity of the world beyo brought in technology to c outfits from a variety of n materials. Iris van Herpen way Technology interacts
FITBIT is known for activity trackers, wireless-enabled wearable technology devices that measure data such as the number of steps walked, heart rate, quality of sleep, steps climbed, and other personal metrics involved in fitness. As an influencer for TechnoLuxury, FitBit provides the necessary insight into the field.
ERPEN
ris van Herpen c 3D designs way and inside orld. With a general ond fashion, she create wearable non-conventional influences the with Fashion
IRIS APFEL
marques brownlee Iris Apfel has been a profound name in the fashion industry, her work laced with innovation and novel concepts. At the age of 94, Iris in an INFLUENTIAL. A walking bolt of energy, She is constantly filling up her to-do list with a frenetic arrangement of projects. She recently teamed up with WiseWear to introduce a line of techenhanced multi-purpose jewelry.
Marques Brownlee is a popular name in the YouTube world. With his channel, MKBHD, Brownlee has over 4 million subscribers and has been identified as the “best technology reviewer in the world right now.� Post majoring in Business and IT, Brownlee, as an influencer, continues to reign the techworld.
INTERIORSOME Interior Design is redefined through use of smart technology. With designers incorporating technology into their concepts: houses that operate robotically or from a tablet computer to motion sensing walls, ceilings and floors; the industry is heading towards a new style of automation. The overall experience of an abode that works at the touch of one’s finger is beyond mesmerizing. It also adds functionality, premium aesthetics and enhanced security.
LUXE I
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INTERIORS.
y enhanced interior design, motion sensing lighting design, thermohroom style and ceiling projections are a part of the trade.
f luxury isn’t defined by how much one can pay for it, it is defined by how nce can one gain from it. Imagine walking into your home on a cold snowy house becomes immediately warmer in order to comfort you! Yes, this is uxe interiors. It balances on the theory of indulgence.
SLEEPSTYLE The bedroom is a sacred space. Agreeably, it has a bed, meant for sleeping. That’s basic! Where does technology come in? The answer is simple: EVERYWHERE. Bedroom interiors, furniture, appliances, lighting - all the aspects can be enhanced with judicious use of technology. Stemming from industrial designers venturing into luxury space, there are going to be many more eccentric ways of sleeping in style.
COMFORT FIRST! Technology for the bedroom is carefully designed, considering aesthetics, ergonomics and usability. Personalization also plays a key role in such space design projects. The cuddle mattress by Mehdi Mojtabavi, the exocet chair by Designarium, Nanoleaf Aurora lighting and Hi-can Technological Cocoon are innovations made possible through technology.
BETTERBATH The most personal and intimate space in a person’s home is the bathroom. A space truly design to cleanse and relax. It is understandable that a bathroom is usually designed on a very personal level. With advancements in technology, the bathroom has escalated to the status of a luxurious space through use of electronically operated devices and thermo-regulating sanitary ware.
INTIMATELY YOURS. 21st Century, where the temperature in a bathroom is as important as the temperature in a living room! Gone are the days of mixing water and checking it by hand. In the world of automation and technology, this hassle has been very well taken care of. With the touch of a button, your shower is set as per the your desired temperature. The commode has highlights that assist your bathroom visit during night time. You can plug in your hair dryer into the drawer where you store it. A simple task such as bathing has become a totally hedonistic experience with a subtle dose of technology.
DIMENSIONALISE Since the advent of 3D Printing, the entire fashion industry has undergone a paradigm shift in terms of the process of garment making. Design is no longer restricted to the end result, rather it is more about the action that takes place behind the scenes. The use of graphics and specialized softwares to digitally create fabrics and garments have changed the way the audiences now look at fashion. From the likes of Iris van Herpen to the upcoming Aiman Akhtar, the fashion approach venturing into the third dimension quite literally is taking over the market. All this is being accomplished through tech-savvy design.
INTO THE 3 DIM. RD
Gone are the days of manual fabrication, today the design houses are jumping many steps ahead and making fashion absolutely 3D. The fluidic nature of technology and the expertise in softwares that make it happen are the two most important factors for this sector of fashion. Iris van Herpen began her tryst with 3D garments way back in 2007. Today, companies like Studio XO, Jenne Kyttanen, Uniqlo and N-E-R-V-O-U-S are redefining the principles of fashion through third dimensional fashion. This sector automatically links the virtual and the actual world in the most harmonious way possible.
BEJEWELED Technology in jewelery so far has been used for SOS purposes. Bluetooth chips embedded in artificially casted gemstones to magnetically enhanced metals that detect threats have been doing the market rounds for a while throughout this decade. Making jewelery stand out in terms of experience, the industry has witnessed innovations in tech-enhanced adornments. Jewelery is gradually becoming like a ‘Second Skin’.
SHINE ON YOU. Conceptualizing jewelery as experience is a challenging task. It is no longer just a vision of having spent exuberant prices for a piece of metal. Upcoming trends includes temporary gold tattoos that provide bluetooth connectivity through a mobile application, contact lens with embellishments and cameras, and unconventional jewelery options like mid-finger rings and lip clasps.
GENEROUS FLUIDITY The likes of Hussein Chalayan and Iris van Herpen know the importance of fluidity and movement in fashion. Movement is about the richer experience of material and machines fused together to create a massive explosion on the runway. In 2007, Iris van Herpen brought out a collection inspired by animal form and human rationality. At the time, it didn’t look radical enough. Today, this style is everywhere. Fluidity in design is mushrooming at a pace that innovators are now experimenting with high-tech fabrics.
CURVILINEAR Employment of lines, shapes and forms in fashion have always been appreciated. It is innovative when you break the tradition and bring in technology to create forms that hold a structure and almost resemble a body installation but not quite as that. A burst of color and texture are gaining recognition, use of impactful materials like latex, vinyl, acrylic, wire-frames, technologically enhanced fabrics and the understanding that the human form is as inspiring as stuff picked from the natural environment.
ILLUMINaire Incorporating lighting and illumination into fashion & lifestyle have been in the market for a long time. From radium enhanced fibers to phosphorescent wearable garments, the whole concept of illumination has been brought out as novelty. Studios around the world are busy trying to experiment with technology in terms of fashion.
LIGHT IT UP! Incorporating another dimension to design through use of smart lighting always helps. It therefore acts as a mood enhancer. Glow headphones get you premium sound with ultimate expression. They light up with vibrant laser technology that pulsates to your favorite music.
FITBUZZ Athluxury has evolved spectacularly due to the advent of technology in the very process of making athletic merchandise. The materials that go in the development of fabrics that make athluxury possible are laced with technology. How else will a fabric regulate your body temperature and also act like second skin?
ATHLuxury It is no longer just about Athleisure. The added element of luxury in terms of brand collaborations with sports merchandise by giants like Reebok, Tory Burch, Lululemon and many others have made the brand image shoot up a notch higher and made simple sweatshirts and yoga pants to a luxurious wardrobe.
KICKSTART It is normal to know that technology is an essential ingredient to life in this decade. Cellphones and laptops are now indispensable. The element of communication and connectivity is a 360 degree approach towards kick-starting our daily routine. Technology in the field of accessories that make life easier are getting famous. Industrial designers are collaborating with designer labels to bring about a change in the field.
STEP UP THE FOOTWORK! Gone are the days of making indications by hand or flashing a light. Your bag can do it for you, makes it easier for the drivers behind you to know your next move revealing the SEIL bag by LeeMyungSu Design Lab. Another innovative move is the Self-lacing shoes from PowerLace - a robust and revolutionary outdoor shoe offering a unique once-only adjustment system based on body weight and dynamic balancing that adapts to the natural motion of your foot.
REALITY'S SAKE Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality - the two terms that an individual must have heard once a day or read off a billboard. AR/VR have been embedded in a variety of systems ranging from corporate culture to interactive design and development. What used to be a ‘gaming’ phenomenon has now reached far and wide up to education, tourism, fashion and entertainment. Any interior surface is now a potential digital display. All of the necessary technologies are slowly coming together, and the general trend toward personalization is as steady as ever.
FOR REAL? Perhaps one of the most compelling ways technology is transforming design is through augmented reality powered websites, smart-phone applications and utilization in the actual physical spaces. AR Technology makes it possible to seamlessly visualize products in real life environments. This means that consumers can experience a personalized, and enriched interaction before purchasing anything. This fundamental has been applied by various retail stores, restaurants, entertainment industry, and the corporate / multi-national companies.
TECHALERT Technology can be scary. It is essential to stay connected and abreast with the latest gizmos and facilities, but at the cost of your own life? Not quite. Too much involvement in the world of technology keeps one away from the actual reality. It is ground breaking to bring in entertainment inside the room, however, it loses the essence of outdoors drastically.
WHERE ARE WE HEADING? Availability of technology on demand has triggered issues on a global level. All your information can be accessed through a single code. A lot is at stake when it comes to succumbing to technology. Embracing technology as a luxurious experience changes the way humans are leading their lives. It’s only a matter of time before we get engulfed in this blackhole of excessive technology...
OVERWHELMED? TO BE CONTD.
FALL/WINTER 2019
TECHNO LUXURY SMALIKA VERMA