Tech Meets Fashion: Sandy, Elena, Jane Lead NYFW Innovation

NYFW Fashion And Tech Trends: Elena Velez, Sandy Liang, Jane Wade Star

New York Fashion Week (NYFW) has always been a platform for designers to showcase their creativity and innovation. This year, three designers - Sandy Liang, Elena Velez, and Jane Wade - have taken this to the next level by incorporating technology into their collections in novel ways. Unlike previous seasons, these designers have adopted a more measured and utilitarian approach to technology in fashion.

Sandy Liang, known for her unique and feminine style, partnered with Google's Android to develop an animated FlipSuit phone case with embedded NFC (near-field communication) chip technology. The chips allowed owners to program a message, social link, or other address into the case, which could be read with the tap of another device. Liang's inspiration for this collaboration came from her fascination with objects that have hidden utility, contrasting with the flashy fashion and tech moments of recent years.

Elena Velez, known for her synthesis of metalwork and high-fashion, leveraged the special effects capabilities of the venue Artechouse to introduce her audience to an immersive world of AI-generated video and imagery in her show entitled "Leech". Velez used AI and special effects to generate her maritime, shipwreck theme, with the incorporation of technology being beside the point. Her use of advanced effects and artificial intelligence as a tool rather than a centerpiece felt fresh and natural, compared to the flashy NFT-mania of 2022.

Jane Wade, in her second appearance on the official NYFW calendar this February, used her collection "THE MERGER" to acknowledge technology's growing presence in our work lives and emphasize its use as a tool. Wade used hardware as a narrative device and character differentiator, wrapping outdated landline telephone cords and walkmans around the hair and bodies of models representing lower-level 'interns', while sleek, advanced earpieces and modern technology adorned models representing the 'c-suite' of her show.

These designers' approach to technology in fashion represents a shift towards subtlety and utility, moving away from the flashy and expensive NFT collections of recent years. By incorporating technology in a more measured and utilitarian way, these designers are paving the way for a new era of fashion and technology.