The latest fashion trend is wearable technology, design duo says
The latest fashion from Paris or Rome is so last century, according to two young designers whose high-tech clothes are on display at the "Fast Forward: Inventing the Future" exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.
Ryan Genz and Francesca Rosella, both 32, told Waubonsee Community College students Tuesday how they are working to lead the revolution in wearable technology.
Genz and Rosella met when they attended the Interactive Design Institute Ivrea in Italy. After graduation, they founded London-based CuteCircuit, and went on to design the Hug Shirt, a mobile phone dress that has a modified mobile phone sewn into the sleeve, and other creations that connect fabric with high technology.
"We're in the middle of the digital revolution, and how we deal with it is important," Genz told the group of mainly art students. "We want to use the technology to make the world a better place, and more fun."
Clothes are not just for protection, comfort, or an indicator of status or tradition, but a means of expression, Genz told the group.
"Clothes say what we want to tell about ourselves," Genz reasoned. "Even if someone says, 'My clothes don't say anything about me,' it's not true, it isn't possible. Clothes always say something about the wearer."
Genz, who hails from Maine, and Rosella, a native of Rome, have also created the prototypes for the skate hoodie, a skateboarding jacket with a built-in MP3 player; the kinetic dress, which has sensors that react to movement and lights up when the wearer dances or moves quickly; and a skirt that changes colors and patterns.
The couple is in town to install their GalaXy dress at the Museum of Science and Industry where it will be on exhibit with their Hug Shirt for at least a year. The dress has cameras that take a photo of people as they approach. The images appear on the dress.
Their Hug Shirt sends the sensation of being hugged from one wearer to another wearer using Bluetooth technology, Java enabled cell phones and sensors that are sewn into the shirt. It was named one of the best inventions of the year by Time Magazine in 2006.
Genz and Rosella live in London where they also lecture at central St. Martins University of the Arts.
Following their dream hasn't been easy. Genz was advised some years ago to go work for Google. When Rosella had the idea for a purse that contained a Global Positioning System unit, she was told by market experts that fashion and technology would never get together.
Their products are prototypes and not available for purchase, but Genz and Rosella have hired a planning team and hope to go into the manufacturing stage within a year.
"We're happy to be doing what we're doing," Rosella said. "We're not rich yet, but it's more exciting to think about the future."
The presentation took place at Waubonsee's Sugar Grove campus, where Genz' mother, Jackie Thoroughman, is dean of social sciences and education.