iFashion

Just a few weeks ago, Tim Cook took to a massive stage to proudly announce the launch of the new iPhone 6. It was an impressive event by all accounts, presenting essential, highly desirable technology. Loud applause broke out in the hall, celebrating this incredible new development that represents such a large and significant step forward. Yet, in the same hall, above the heads of those present, something new was being born. A revolution much more significant than a mere inch or two.

Apple has weathered endless barrages of criticism over the past few years. There simply isn’t enough space here to mention all the dire predictions that have been made since the death of Steve Jobs: the bitten apple has lost direction, become obsolete, lost its audience, and so on. The launch event suggested otherwise – announcing the start of a new era with a bang. In the endless race of technological innovation, Apple is no longer a technology company. Tim ​​Cook revealed the news without a word. By introducing the new watch, Cook transformed Apple into a fashion company in one fell swoop.

Some might say that this is not an innovation when viewed alongside the rich history of Apple and its products. Every Apple product launch has always been linked to the eternal “tango” of fashion and technology, from the iPod, through the iPhone, to its core product – laptops. But in the past, fashion always served technology, and now the tables have turned and it is technology that is being pressed into the service of fashion. Technology cannot exist independently anymore. Its entire role is to empower and construct the fashion experience. 

Personal technology, as Apple’s ads proclaim, aims to establish a direct connection with the consumer. But many years ago the very same words were used about the personal computer. So what’s new? “Personal” apparently indicates the degree of intimacy between things: the depth and breadth of the relationship between the person and the product, between the wearer and the worn, between the entity and the brand. Whereas the personal experience between the user and the personal computer is expressed through the user’s actions, we have now entered a completely new field. There are few things more intimate than wearing something on your wrist – it almost becomes your own flesh and blood. There is no need for any action to strengthen the relationship. It is always present: the ultimate means of expression, of self-determination. A fashion item. 

Much has been said about the “internet of things”, as well as the endless possibilities the future holds – smart homes, smart clothes, smart roads and more. Far beyond technology, Apple has always opened new doors to the worlds of design, accessibility, and the user experience. Today we are living in the world of “wearable technology” (Wearables), and very soon we will see a spectacular fashion show from the Californian company, collaborations with definitive fashion trends, and revolutions in clothing, style, accessories, and lifestyle. Furniture, leisure, culture, recreation – all these infinite worlds are spread out before the company now that it has reinvented itself. Fashion is the key. 

And we are only left to ask: if intimacy is indeed the name of the game, how far are we willing to go? How can we make personal technology an integral part of our lives, something that defines and identifies us, forms the basis of our personality? Where is the fine line between myself and mine? Clothing? Style? Thoughts?