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Color-changing hair dye responds to your environment
Just because you want to color your hair doesn't mean you want the same color all the time. Wouldn't it be nice if it could change with the weather, or whether or not you're inside? You might get your wish. The Unseen has developed a color-changing hair dye, Fire, that reacts to shifts in temperature -- it could be red outside and revert to a more natural color indoors. The carbon-based molecules in the dye alter their light absorption when they're subjected to temperature changes, producing different colors that you can reverse just by heading somewhere new.
Amazon UK is reportedly developing its own clothing lines
Amazon may have become the defacto place to buy electronics, books and associated forms of media, but a number of other product categories are quietly booming. Clothing sales, for instance, have grown so much in the last year that investment bank UBS put the company second to only Marks & Spencer. With more and more people choosing to buy garments online, Amazon has begun looking to bypass brands and is reported to be close to launching its own-label fashion range in the UK.
Scenes from Epson's 'Digital Couture' show at New York Fashion Week
Since 2015, Epson has been giving up-and-coming designers an opportunity to show clothes made with digital printers at New York Fashion Week. This year was no exception. With the Digital Couture Project, the company is trying to push its line of textile printers as an alternative to handmade and heat-based prints, two of the most traditional fabric-design methods. These SureColor machines, which range from $8,500 to $26,000, can print on garments made from cotton, linen, nylon, polyester, silk or wool, letting designers choose from a wide range of materials when working on a collection.
Google project turns your daily routine into custom clothing
Most fashion isn't truly personal unless you design it yourself, and most people aren't about to fire up a sewing machine to make that happen. However, you might only need your phone to get a custom look in the future. Google and H&M's Ivyrevel label are working on a Coded Couture app that uses Android's passive sensing abilities (the Awareness API) to design a dress around your activities. Grant the app permission and it'll generate business, gala and party dresses based on your favorite places, your fitness routine and even the typical weather -- in a sense, you really are wearing your heart on your sleeve. The only requirement is that you keep your phone with you.
Bill Nye and Buzz Aldrin do a little turn on the catwalk
Never in a million years did I think I'd see Bill Nye and Buzz Aldrin walk a runway together, but that's exactly what happened. Both were part of designer Nick Graham's Fall 2017 fashion show in New York City, where he revealed his new "Life on Mars: F/W 2035" menswear collection. Graham says the event was inspired by our need to explore the Red Planet, as well as his admiration for Aldrin's space travel accomplishments -- like being one of the first humans to land on the moon. That's why you'll see garments with prints of rockets and planets, or designs in red that are meant to represent Mars' famed hues.
Gap envisions a future with augmented-reality 'dressing rooms'
Fashion brands know experimenting with tech is imperative, whether it be to enhance the retail experience or introduce fans to the concept of virtual reality. For Gap Inc., which, in addition to its eponymous label owns Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta and Intermix, technology has never played a major role in its business strategy. But as the company struggles with declining sales, it's trying to find creative ways to engage with customers. That's where Gap's "DressingRoom" app will come in when it launches in the coming days.
Why do Instagram and Twitter want me to buy fake Yeezys?
It's not rare for me to come across ads for counterfeit goods, particularly as I'm browsing Instagram or Twitter. And although I don't have a Facebook account, I live with someone who does and know that's an issue there as well. Targeted advertising, the kind that knows exactly what brand of sneakers and streetwear I'm into, is the least of my worries here. My problem is the fact that Twitter and Facebook (which owns Instagram) are approving sponsored posts from retailers selling counterfeits. I know better, but there are many who may fall victim to these sorts of scams.
How Rebecca Minkoff uses tech to make her fashion stores stand out
Nike and Adidas aren't the only lifestyle brands designing their retail spaces with technology in mind. Others such as Rebecca Minkoff, a fashion label based out of New York City, are taking similar steps by implementing things like smart mirrors and, most recently, self-checkout at its boutiques. Although the latter feature is far less advanced than what Amazon's Go grocery stores will offer, it's yet another example of how the brick-and-mortar landscape is changing in several industries.
Taking a walk in Adidas' 3D-printed running shoes
It's hard to believe it was only last year when Adidas revealed its first 3D-printed shoe concept. But the German sportswear giant is moving fast with its Futurecraft project, a collection of innovative footwear that also includes biodegradable sneakers. The latest in this line is the Adidas 3D Runner, which features a midsole and heel tab created from 3D-printing materials. Primeknit, the same fabric used on Three-Stripe models such as the Yeezy and Ultra Boost, makes up most of the rest of the silhouette.
Adidas' latest 3D-printed running shoe will cost you $333
3D printing has proven to be useful across many different areas, including the creation of lifestyle products for consumers. Adidas, for one, began toying with the idea of 3D-printed footwear in recent years, which led to the introduction of its Futurecraft 3D concept in 2015. But the German sportswear company doesn't want to stop there. Today, it announced that it will be selling a 3D-printed running shoe for the first time, albeit in limited-edition form. Not to crush your enthusiasm early on, but these are going to be hard to get.
Inside Adidas' new tech-infused store in New York City
Not to be outdone by Nike, Adidas has opened a new flagship store in New York City. And, just like its rival, the German company packed the space with loads of technology. Inside the four-story, 45,000-square-foot space, on the corner of 5th Avenue and 46th Street, you'll find a virtual-reality experience and a wearable system designed to help you find the best running shoe. Let's take a look at what other tech Adidas is featuring at its biggest retail store yet.
Instagram sees shopping as the next step in its evolution
Gone are the days when Instagram's scope was clear-cut. For better or worse, the app is no longer just about sharing photos with other users or scrolling through a river of images with hundreds of digital likes. Since being acquired by Facebook in 2012, Instagram has left behind its roots as an unambiguous social network in favor of becoming a more robust platform. Whether to monetize or to enhance the experience for people, newly minted features like Stories have catapulted Instagram beyond being a simple photo-sharing app. And it's not finished yet.
Nike's new store in New York City is loaded with tech
SoHo is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in New York City. It's home to hundreds of shops from some of the most popular brands, including Apple, Adidas and, as of last month, Google. Now you can add Nike to this list. On November 18th, the sportswear giant will open a five-story 55,000-square-foot space loaded with technology, from 3D-printed decorations (pictured above) to a Kinect-powered basketball court. There are also other simple, yet useful, things such as Apple Pay support and large touchscreens on walls that help you call an associate or buy products on the spot.
Why the fashion world won't let Amazon in
There's no doubt Amazon has already mastered the art of selling groceries and other essential goods online. But the company aims to be more than that. It's focusing on streaming technologies, with services like Prime Video and Music Unlimited, a rival to Spotify and Apple Music. Then there's fashion, a space that may be the hardest (though not impossible) to conquer. While Amazon isn't new to selling clothes, the company sees high-fashion retail as its next holy grail. It wants to be the place where you can have a $12 Hanes hoodie and a $1,500 Louis Vuitton frock in the same cart.
High tech meets haute couture at Silicon Valley Fashion Week
Pop culture loves to pit fashion and technology against one another. While fashionistas are often portrayed as really really good looking buffoons (looking at you, Derek), techies are rarely seen without being swaddled in their trusty black hoodies. But, as the 2016 Silicon Valley Fashion Week shows, it doesn't have to be that way.
ICYMI: Get your makeup done in minutes
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Panasonic is channeling a wonderful Jetson's future by first using a mirror to determine your skin's flaws, then printing out foundation and concealer within minutes, that can be smoothed onto the skin. It is a prototype system so far, which they just displayed at a Japanese tech show. Also at CEATEC, Honda unveiled its concept micro-commuter car that is 3D printed and can be customized depending on the owners' needs, like requiring a hatchback or lower doors than standard models.
Nike's self-lacing Mags are hot, won't catch fire
For Nike, yesterday was the culmination of a passion project which began in 2007. It was then that iconic designer Tinker Hatfield, who is behind the most popular Air Jordan models, took on the task of creating an innovative shoe based on the one worn by Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) in Back to the Future Part II. Now, as demoed by Fox himself last year, the Nike Mag is finally more than a film prop, thanks to a self-lacing technology the sportswear giant calls "Adaptive Fit."
Nike's 'Back to the Future' shoes can be yours in a raffle
The Nike Mag, aka Back to the Future sneakers, have been a work in progress since 2011. However, it wasn't until 2015 that they featured the self-lacing technology which made them a pop culture hit. Now, after a brief tease by Michael J. Fox last year, Nike today announced its plans for a general (albeit very limited) release of its second-gen Mags, this time with the "Adaptive Fit" laces that tighten themselves. Here's how it works: Nike has opened an online raffle for people to have a chance at winning a pair, where they can buy an unlimited amount of tickets for $10 each.
Intel wearables show models' stress levels on Paris runway
Intel's continuing experiment with wearables is getting serious. The company teamed up with British designer Hussein Chalayan to create smart glasses and belts for five models in Chalayan's Spring/Summer 2017 show today. The devices are powered by Intel's Curie module for wearables, though neither company has expressed plans for actually making these accessories widely available.
Fujifilm and Michael Kors made a fashionable instant camera
Fashion designer Michael Kors wants to make a mark on the tech world. Less than a month after the debut of his brand's Access Android Wear watches, a new product is being born from partnership with a popular camera maker. Meet the Michael Kors x Fujifilm Instax Mini 70, an instant film shooter that's geared toward fashionistas everywhere. Or, really, anyone who feels nostalgic and wants a camera that reminds them of the good ol' days. The MK edition of Fujifilm's Instax Mini 70 features gold tones, a 60mm lens, flash and viewfinder -- nothing shocking there.
