Think back to some of the science fiction movies of the ’70s and ’80s, riddled with ridiculous futuristic outfits that provided a bit of comic relief for the viewers.
“Back to the Future Part II” may be one of the most classic examples of Hollywood dramatically exaggerating the fashion of the future with Marty McFly’s auto-tying shoes and self-adjusting sports jacket.
Though McFly’s ensemble merits a brief chuckle from a more modernized society, it’s a little alarming to realize the year he visited was 2015.
The fashion industry shouldn’t be held to the standards of Robert Zemeckis’ view of the future in 1989, but it begs the question of whether fashion and technology are on the right track to advancing.
Wearable technology was the vision of several movie directors in the late 20th century, and it seems there is finally a surge of new inventions that revolve around the same idea.
An article by Bloomberg posted on The Business of Fashion website discussed the importance of the growing wearable trend, and cited March’s South by Southwest Interactive conference as one example of how fashion and technology are becoming intertwined.
“We are slowly getting to the point where technology can keep the promise that science-fiction authors have made,” said Roger Entner, an analyst at Recon Analytics LLC, in the story. “And you are seeing these first steps. We are at that stage where the reality catches up with imagination.”
The story explores multiple wearable options, such as necklace pieces that transform into drones that hover and deflect rainfall when necessary. The article also mentions designer Pauline van Dongen’s work with 3-D-printed items that stretch boundaries of traditional fabric.
Inventions like Google Glass and the upcoming Apple Watch have started to pave the way for fashion technology to gain attention, but shoppers are still the ones who will decide the fate of these items.
However, the biggest concern many people have in trying out some of these new innovations is how they will look when they wear technological pieces, thinking they look silly or too noticeable. But think back to some of the staple pieces of today’s fashion industry and why they were created.
Take wallets for example.
Though the early origin of the item can be traced back to ancient Greece, the wallet, or billfold, was invented in the Renaissance period to conceal and protect paper currency. Wallets were even used in the 19th century to carry small provisions of dried meat or tobacco.
First and foremost, it was a technological invention with a specific purpose, not a fashionable item. Yet, in today’s fashion world, a wallet is a small but integral piece of a man’s outfit.
Imagine seeing a businessman, draped in an extravagant, custom Armani suit, whipping out a black polyester wallet and hearing the annoying static of Velcro echo through a quiet boutique — it wouldn’t happen. Why? Because the man would probably be carrying a beautifully handcrafted Italian leather billfold to accompany his Italian suit.
Many fashion items, such as belts, suspenders and shoes, have similar stories, but it doesn’t stop them from being key aspects of wearable and fashionable
technology.
But again, it’s up to fashion consumers.
Without anyone to take the plunge and be the first to try out a new item, fashion technology will fade, and Marty McFly will have nothing exciting to wear in his next visit to the future.
For this reason, keep an open mind and experiment. Don’t be scared to sport a new version of tomorrow’s norm, and set an example as someone who is not afraid to advance in their own fashion sense.
Michael Tarver is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from Houma, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @michael_T16.
