Technology and Fashion: Crossing the Intersection

Would you like to wear a dress that could charge your smartphone? Or wouldn't it be great that your sneakers could post on the Twitter and Facebook? Recently, the wearable computing devices defined that smart garments receive great attention and become a hot topic of discussion. More and more individuals are experimenting with the possibility to embed high- tech devices, such as solar cells or LEDs, into textile. The added functionality enables the garment to provide unique aesthetic experience and, moreover, improve healthcare, foster interaction and support sustainability in fashion. Despite its promising potential, the smart clothing is neither in people’s wardrobes nor in the fashion stores. It seems to be stuck somewhere between laboratories, museums and runway shows. The smart garment is making the first steps towards reaching the customer and establishing a market. Thus, the research aims to answer the following question: why isn´t there a market for smart clothing? This research explores the recent development of smart garment with a focus on its commercial potential in the field of apparel industry. Moreover, it attempts to highlight the challenges that creative individuals struggle with while designing smart garment. Drawing on seven semi-structured in-depth interviews with smart garment creators and two interviews with experts from the fields of fashion and innovation, this research identifies factors that either hinder or intensify the smart garment market formation.