Radiant; Denim Future
By Adam Snow
Do you remember watching spy films and being left in awe at the technological gadgets that the writers could dream up? Something about these gadgets – self-driving cars, pens which doubled as phones, or sunglasses that could take photographs – seemed so fantastical, advanced, and out of the realm of possibility that they were truly captivating. Thus, it’s truly hard to believe that not only do these technologies now exist, they are now readily available to non-MI6 personnel.
Well, we might not be done with mind-bending technological developments just yet, and today, they’ve entered the world of fashion.
Yes, fashion. Levi’s® has partnered with Jacquard™ by Google to release a denim trucker jacket with tech built into its very fabric. Now, with simple hand gestures the jacket’s wearers can remain connected to the digital world – all without a device in hand.
Among the many capabilities, users can access their phone’s music library, answer and end phone calls, or take a photograph with the simple tap of their sleeve. One can almost picture Bond himself slyly tapping his shoulder cuff to communicate with HQ, albeit maybe not in a denim jacket.
The jacket itself is in the iconic style of Levi’s denim, offering the classically cool, durable style that they have been come to known for. Even after almost 150 years in the industry, the company has continued to strive to innovate, all the while remembering their classic roots. This latest endeavour, ambitious to say the least, has been made possible through collaboration with Google’s trademarked Jacquard technology.
Jacquard, according to their website, “takes ordinary, familiar objects and enhances them with new digital abilities and experiences, while remaining true to their original purpose.”
Created by Google, the idea behind the technology is based on a simple thesis: that our everyday items can and should be used to their full potential, allowing our screens to stay hidden away while we remain connected with the digital world. With this premise in mind, Jacquard created a sensitive fabric, able to communicate between you and your technological devices.
The implication of this technology goes far beyond its resemblance of a Bond toy. So often, technology is criticized for isolating us, sucking up our time and attention. Levi and Google have attempted a solution to this, simplifying the human relationship with technology and allowing us to remain present in the world around us, all without sacrificing the benefits that connectivity provides us with.
For now, Levi’s and Jacquard have placed themselves at the forefront of ‘smart fashion’. With style, function, and creativity, and technology now bundled into one piece of clothing, it’s impossible to know what is next.
