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Virgin Galactic taps fashion brand Y-3 for space suit designs
If you set out to do something incredible, you should do it looking your best. For Virgin Galactic, the commercial spaceflight venture from Richard Branson, that means teaming up with fashion brand Y-3 to create apparel for its future pilots, astronauts and on-the-ground team operations members. In case you're not familiar, Y-3 is a collaboration between Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto, a decorated and well-respected Japanese designer.
Samsung's weird wearables include a smart suit and solar purse
We've already seen some crazy product concepts from Samsung's secret labs, but the company also had a few more unique wearable ideas over at its CES booth. How does a suit equipped with NFC tags sound? Or maybe a purse that charges your phone with solar panels? These particular products were developed by Samsung C&T, another arm of the electronics giant. And unlike the concepts we saw previously, they're already on sale in Korea under Samsung's wearable brand, The Human Fit.
A sweatshirt massage is better than no massage at all
I like massages. Who doesn't? But what if you could get a massage while you worked? Stood up or sat down anywhere. In your home, the office, or in the car? That's the premise of the AiraWear, a massage vest that embeds into (at the moment) a zip-up hoodie. I'm typing part of this article while my shoulders are being gently teased by two firm foam points, backed by air cushions that inflate and deflate. I just cranked the power to max and I'm feeling pretty good.
Belty the self-adjusting belt just got a smarter, classier sequel
One of many odd things to come out of CES 2015 was Belty: a self-adjusting belt that would literally cut you some slack if you enjoyed your dinner a little too much. As mentioned last week, following the exposure at CES, the company behind it, Emotia, decided a redesign sequel was in order. After the heavy, thick (but coolly industrial-looking) prototype, the new "Good Vibes" (or GV) model is slimmer, lighter and looks, well, more like a dress belt you'd actually see on sale in a clothes store. And it's not just a pretty (leathery) face.
Wear your DNA as a scarf
It's a cliché to say that clothes reflect who you are... but in this case, it's definitely true. Dot One is offering a lambswool scarf (among other products) whose artwork is based on your genetic sequence. All you do is send in a 23andMe-style cheek swab sample that's scanned for pieces of distinctive yet repeatable genetic code. When Dot One matches that code to colors, the result is a scarf pattern that looks reasonably fashionable, but is almost certain to be unique -- unless you're an identical twin, the odds of running into someone else with the same scarf are virtually zero.
Nike's power-laced 'Back to the Future' shoes arrive in 2016
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few hours, then you know today is Back to the Future Day. In the trilogy's second film, Michael J. Fox's character Martin Seamus McFly, better known as Marty, gave us a glimpse of how things would look on October 21st, 2015. And even though the future according to the movie may have not been fully accurate (which is okay), Marty's power-laced Nike sneakers are indeed a reality. While the sportswear juggernaut did release the Mag in 2011, that version didn't use the self-lacing technology we saw in Back to the Future Part II. But don't worry, the actual Marty McFly shoes are coming in spring 2016, Nike has confirmed. Tinker Hatfield, Nike's VP of creative concepts and the man who designed the Mags, also sent a letter to Fox saying, "Although the project started as science fiction, we're now proud to turn that fiction into fact."
Seven times Kanye West dressed like a 'Final Fantasy' character
Apparently the Kanye West role-playing game, Kanye Quest 3030, contains an eerie hidden area involving a butterfly and a New Age cult called Ascensionism. We know, it's hard to believe that Kanye has a video game. Anyway, this secret game-within-a-game is weird, but it's certainly not surprising considering that, for years now, Kanye has been dressing like characters from one of the most nonsensical video game franchises of all time, Final Fantasy. We've collected a few of Kanye's standout cosplay attempts in the gallery below. Happy Friday, folks.
These 'privacy glasses' make you invisible to facial recognition
You're going out with friends mid-week, and you don't want the boss/significant other/parole officer to find out. But it's a birthday celebration, and Facebook's auto-tagging the pictures your buddies upload like a dirty snitch. The first piece of advice: never "friend" your parole officer. The second? Maybe grab a pair of these "privacy" glasses from software security firm AVG. You, of course, can see my visage above, but AVG claims the technology in the specs means facial recognition software (like that of Facebook) will not.
Heels made from aluminum foam, designed by the cosmos
These are the shoes we'd imagine Lady Gaga would wear if she were Cinderella. As much as they look like crumpled aluminum foil, though, their designers, Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves, were inspired by something a lot bigger: the rough surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, where ESA's Philae lander is currently sleeping. In the absence of actual Churyumov-Gerasimenko samples, the duo collectively known as Studio Swine, 3D-scanned meteorites at the Natural History Museum in London after securing sponsorship from Microsoft. They meshed various scanned surfaces together and formed the shoes' base shape using aluminum foam. A CNC mill then scooped out part of the structure for the wearer's feet (these are shoes, after all), which was then lined with soft Italian leather. Despite the rugged ultra-metallic look, the designers claim these heels are nearly weightless, as aluminum foam is 90 percent air. We guess fashion doesn't always have to hurt after all. [Image credit: Studio Swine]
Neiman Marcus' digital mirror compares clothes side by side
If you've ever wanted to see yourself in a few different outfits before deciding on your next wardrobe, Neiman Marcus now lets you view them side by side. The retailer's Memory Mirror takes video and stills of what you try on for comparison, in addition to 360-degree views so you can see all the angles and items in different colors. As you might expect, snapshots from the digital mirror can be shared, so you can ask your Facebook friends if red really is the best choice. There's also an option to share the session with a salesperson so they can recommend new items next time. Right now, the Memory Mirror is only installed at the Walnut Creek, California location, but other units should be in place by the end month. Hopefully it works with men's clothes, too.
3D-printed robotic spider dress keeps creeps at bay
Silk? Meh. Taffeta? Blergh. When it came time to craft her latest dress, Dutch artist Anouk Wipprecht instead turned to 3D printing and one of Intel's teensy Edison modules for something truly special. The end result? A "spider" dress that leaps to defend its wearer when it senses motion. (Our internal pedants would point out that the six legs make it more of an insect dress than a spider dress, but we digress).
Keep the surveillers at bay with Orwell-inspired clothes
If you've read George Orwell's 1984, you know of Big Brother's constant surveillance tactics. Taking inspiration from the book, and in response to present-day tracking methods, clothing maker The Affair is looking to Kickstart the 1984 Stealth Fashion collection. Thanks to a removable UnPocket, your phone remains "untrackable and unhackable" from inside the line's workshirt, chinos, jacket and blazer. That pocket is made of police-grade shielding fabric that blocks cellular (700 MHz-2 GHz), WiFi (2.4 GHz), GPS (1-2 GHz) and RFID (13.56 MHz) signals to help combat the peering eye of government overlords. So if you're ready to join Winston Smith, that UnPocket requires a pledge of $29 (£18) and the clothes start at $98 (£59). You may want to act now though, 'cause retail prices are set to get a bump.
Phone-jamming cloak lets you be seen and not tracked
We've covered invisibility cloaks, thermal cloaks and acoustic cloaks. But none of those were actual, you know, cloaks. The voluminous CHBL Jammer Coat really is. Created by Austrian designers, apparently with the help of Zoolander and some bedouin tribesmen, it uses metallic fabric to stop radiowaves going to or from any mobile devices carried in its many pockets. It further flummoxes onlookers and CCTV cameras by giving the illusion of "extra limbs," so that your real body parts remain hidden behind a mass of folds, wave circle patterns and pleased-to-see-me jokes. Alas, you can't actually buy a CHBL Jammer Coat, because it's a statement-making one-off, so genuine escape artists will need to shop for their portable Faraday cages elsewhere.
Google's first fashionable Glass frames are designed by Diane Von Furstenberg
Diane Von Furstenberg may be better known for wrap dresses than wraparound shades, but her fashion label has actually been a long-term collaborator with Google Glass. The partnership has now resulted in a new "DVF" collection of Glass options, including five new frames and eight new shades with which to customize (and perhaps soften) your futuristic appearance. They'll be available to Explorers in the US from June 23rd, both via Google's own site and from Net-a-porter, although there's no word on how much extra you'd need to spend beyond the $1,500 cost of the beta device itself. On the same day, Google's own Titanium collection will also become available through the Mr Porter online store. Meanwhile, we're still waiting on more sporty options from the likes of Oakley and Ray-Ban, although these might not arrive until Google Glass finally shifts into full commercial mode.
Asher Levine's fall 2013 fashion line goes future forward
Children of the '80s, you'll want to remember this name: Asher Levine. He's the young designer behind an also young label poised to make Marty McFly's vacuum-powered jacket from Back to the Future Part II a real-life retail item. But more on that in a bit. As you might've already guessed, Levine's brand is atypical of the industry, one based upon the incorporation of technology and innovation with style. It sounds strange when you consider this is fashion we're talking about -- a notoriously stodgy industry predicated upon its historical archives -- but then again, this is the very same designer that teamed up with MakerBot for his fall 2012 collection. Oh, and did we mention he dresses the likes of Lady Gaga and will.i.am? There's that, too. While that last crossover collaboration employed MakerBot's Replicator for 3D-printed eyewear, Levine's current fall / winter 2013 line is taking things into a less cumbersome, more practical realm. Through a partnership with Phone Halo, a company focused on mobile Bluetooth solutions, apparel in this new collection will feature integrated tracking chips to help high-end clientele locate lost or misplaced luxury items via a customized TrackR app. So forget about last season's trends, Levine is committed to pushing things forward, while also daring to dream a little sci-fi dream.
Brookstone's WiFi cufflinks let you discreetly share data, internet connections
If you somehow aren't satisfied with your growing collection of Nintendo, PlayStation, Game Boy Color and steampunk styled cufflinks, Brookstone just might be the Q to your Bond. In addition to rocking the USB-storage trick we've seen in other technological shirt links, this sleeve fastener also promises to act as a WiFi hotspot when paired with a hard-wired PC. Rounding out your technologically augmented wedding attire with these 'cuffs will set you back $250 -- unless you're working with Her Majesty's Secret Service, of course, then they're probably just standard issue.
Versetta iPad cases promise form and fashion, deliver something else
When we first got wind of Versetta's line of iPad-toting totes, we were immediately intrigued. Handbags and cases that deliver form and fashion you say? Well, we took the extra two seconds to scroll on past the press release and found -- to our surprise -- the peak-a-boo bag featured above. Now, Versetta's clearly taken some liberties with the English language here -- its bags are more Paris, Texas than Paris, France -- but we're nonetheless impressed with the novel approach to stowing your iOS slab. The company's pushing two separate lines for its pouches -- one for professionals and one for ladies who lunch -- both of which allow you to access your iPad, ports and all, without taking it out of its case. Sure they're more QVC than LV, but if you're into trap doors, you can grab a bag at the source link below. Full PR after the break.
Louis Vuitton cellphone belt buckle is fake, potentially harmful to your manhood
This Louis Vuitton cellphone belt buckle comes to us by way of China and brings together two things that should never be combined: fake designer belts and wireless communication. First off, we've all heard the warnings about a cellphone's proximity to our baby-makers; second, we're pretty sure that taking your belt off every time you get a call will not only lead to frustration, but some pretty weird looks on the subway; and finally, it's a fake. Look, it's not like we're anti-excess here, but it seems to us like a solid gold cellphone is a far more practical investment. This rather ridiculous contraption apparently comes complete with Bluetooth earpiece and built-in camera, and supports dual card standby and TF card expansion. You know how we feel about it, but if you must, there's a video after the jump.
iPad-toting Syte Shirt redefines 'multitasking'
Disgusted with Apple's refusal to bestow honest-to-goodness backgrounding to the iPad, even though the (presumably) weaker iPhone 4 has been doing it for weeks? You aren't alone. Syte Shirt, a new startup with a vision to change the world in a way you've never even dreamed of, has just announced its first product: the iPad-toting shirt that you're undoubtedly gawking at above. This pre-shrunk heavyweight cotton tee sports a slit on the inside for sliding your tablet into, and there's a window on the front that enables the wearer (or anyone else, for that matter) to fully interact with the tablet without you having to disrobe. Imagine that! Heck, there are even ports for accessing the dock connector and the 3.5mm headphone jack, which certainly helps to justify the otherwise unconscionable $49.95 to $54.95 price tag. Right? Right? %Gallery-98005%
iPad Chain makes Flavor Flav obsolete
Look. You can either wear your iPad, or you can wear your iPad -- like this stylish trailblazer spotted at the Lennox Mall in Atlanta this week. Of course, we've been wearing ours like this since day one, but it's always nice to see a trend catch on. Let's just hope no one tries to steal this guy's iPad. We all know how that can end. [Thanks, Nique]
