What does Fashion Tech mean to you? Does it mean anything?

Earlier this year ASOS and Wayra announced their “Fashion Tech Accelerator” and then followed it up with ….”but no wearables or 3D printing”. They might have broken that news more gently, but it irked the sensitivities of some involved in the design sphere, a number of whom were of the opinion that Fashion Tech and Retail Tech, are essentially interconnected yet separate entities.

I’ve never really cared about definitions, if Fashion Tech included spaceship design it wouldn’t bother me in the least. When Wearable Tech now includes drones that jump off your arm to go take photos (and hopefully return) it becomes clear that we are living in an era where definitions are at their best murky.

However the real issue here is whether we are still a society concerned with “allocating” to categories. Having come this far, why do we still have an undying need to allocate and define? You see, I get it, its nice to have things “belong” in categories, in places in spaces. I guess it makes things easier, or does it? and for whom? and really, why? Can we really seek to define that whose very foundation in based on collaboration and the merging of disciplines.?

In an interview with Third Wave Fashion Charlie O’Donnell, Founder of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures says about Fashion Tech:

“There is no such thing… Technology is both a channel and a best practice around delivering a product. It could mean a unique and convenient purchase experience or it could mean a means to acquire a customer, but unless you’re experimenting with materials science, you’re really just following your customer. Since they use digital technology, you need to as well.”

Danielle Lewis, Founder & CEO of Scrunch.co in an interview with Open source Fashion says:

“Fashion tech means anything that either combines ‘fashion’ in its traditional sense, clothing or accessories or that targets the fashion industry and technology. As a result it is very broad! From wearables to software and everything in between! Perhaps its most defining feature is the passionate community that has emerged in support of this movement.”

What becomes clear in these statements is not that there is a particular agreement on one definition, but that there is acknowledgement on the merging of boundaries.

The Fitbits and exercise trackers that we see, (aka Wearable Tech) are essentially driven by the health-conscious and digitally connected consumer. In fact, the well known spider dress from pioneering designer Annouk Wipprecht targets social and anxiety issues, her collections are based on humans feeling better – mentally and physically. Again, this is a wellness -related driver, that has culminated in a fashion form. While there is no doubt inherent artistry in Fashion Design, we really must not forget that the drivers behind design are very much external, namely the consumer. It is at this point that Retail Tech plays a crucial role.

When it comes to new retail technologies, not only do they open up markets to emerging designers, they also support designers by acting as a crucial connection point to their customers, providing feedback and input into their creations. Two such retail technologies that have done this beautifully are Moda Operandi and Stitch Collective.

Moda Operandi enables consumers to pre-order via its website from both established and emerging designers, while Stitch Collective offers a collaborative online platform to connect designers with retailers and consumers alike.

While it becomes clear that Fashion Tech means different things to different people, for me, both retail technologies and design technologies exist under this umbrella.

In order for next generation fashion pioneers to truly flourish, retail technologies that reflect and accurately capture the essence of “the now” and “the future” must be developed in tandem. With this in mind, I believe it is absolutely crucial that conversations around Fashion Tech include Retail Tech.

When Fashion Tech is so focused on its collaboration with engineers and scientists, I believe that it can be almost counter-productive to view Fashion Tech and Retail Tech as distinct entities.

Perhaps the discussion should move away from categorizing and defining to how we can truly create collaborative ventures between disciplines that will support Fashion Tech in the future.