Fashion is an art, not a science.
That being said, Apple, a science and technology giant, will have plenty of trouble trying to break into the fashion industry.
Apple plans to release its Apple Watch in early 2015, but the company gave a sneak peak of its creation Sept. 9 during the keynote address for the iPhone 6. Ever since, there has been a buzz of whether this technology giant will be able to break into the fashion accessories business.
The quick answer is no.
From what’s been released so far, it looks like Apple has put a lot of effort into making its watch come off as more than just another “smartwatch.” Names like Marc Newson, Burberry’s Angela Ahrendts and Yves Saint Laurent’s Paul Deneve have all been in works with Apple to take the Watch from a gadget to an accessory.
The Watch comes in three different collections — Watch, Watch Sport and Watch Edition. Each collection offers a different feel for different situations. Watch works for an everyday look, Watch Sport is fitting for an athletic look and Watch Edition is for a black tie or professional setting.
And it doesn’t stop there. Within each collection, Apple has offered two face sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm. There are multiple band colors and styles along with the ability to change the Watch’s face display.
While Apple has put in plenty of work to make its Watch as aesthetically pleasing as possible, it still looks like you’re wearing a mini iPhone on your wrist.
“To me, it’s not stylish at all,” said Jordanne Davis, assistant manager at Fossil at the Mall of Louisiana.
Reece Babin, third key manager at Fossil, agreed with Davis.
Davis and Babin own multiple different Fossil watches. Babin said he personally owns 55 watches. Babin said Fossil watches are more of a vintage style and designed with fashion in mind.
Davis said someone interested in technology is more likely to buy the Apple Watch than someone interested in fashion.
This will most likely be the case when the Apple Watch is released. Its consumers will primarily be die-hard Apple fans who need to say they own everything with the company’s logo. You won’t see fashion designers and their followers rushing to the Apple store.
Davis said the consumer of the Apple Watch will most likely only own and wear this watch not for fashion, but for all the gizmos it holds.
For fashion industry lovers, the Apple Watch just isn’t something worth investing in. Why buy a mini-phone when your smart phone is right at arm’s reach? For fashion lovers, accessories come in
multiples, so you can have options when putting together an outfit. The Apple Watch is going to run upwards of $300. With that amount of money, I can buy a multitude of differently styled accessories, and even a watch or two that can work with multiple outfits.
This is opposed to the Apple Watch, which will be hard to style with anything.
The shopping experience is another problem Apple will face.
People who shop for fashion enjoy the retail experience. They get the chance to try things on, get employee help if needed and a comfortable atmosphere to browse.
When I stopped by an Apple Store to ask about the Watch, I was pushed away by an employee saying I needed to contact their media people. Watch shopping at the Apple Store won’t be fun with unknowledgeable employees and a cramped environment.
The Apple Watch is going to be just another technology fad that will amaze for the first few weeks after its release. Those classically styled Fossil watches will be in fashion forever.
Meg Ryan is a 20-year-old mass communication sophomore from Philadelphia. You can reach her on Twitter @The_MegRyan.