Today the world of fashion has made a huge step forward — fully controllable, programmable digital pieces of clothing are not a weird dream any more.
Surprisingly, an alcohol brand Ballantine’s is making the digital future of fashion closer to consumers as part of its ‘Leave an Impression’ campaign, featuring the first-ever T-shirts called ‘tshirtOS’, which are wearable, sharable and programmable via the operating system inbuilt in fabric, which connects to the internet and is controlled by a mobile app.
Thus, consumers can have a full control over what is displayed on the ‘screen’ of the T-shirt.
To create the iOS-controlled prototype of the innovative tShirtOS Ballantine’s has partnered with a London-based digital fashion pioneers CuteCircuit, which was the first company to mix smart textiles and micro electronics.
CuteCircuit’s founders Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz are the creators of first illuminated pieces of fashion, which use LED technology. So far they’ve teamed up with fashion houses and celebrities such as Laura Pausini, U2, Katy Perry, created the Galaxy Dress that is now a part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and the award-winning M Dress and Hug Shirt, awarded as one of the best inventions of the year by Time Magazine.
Photo: famous digital Galaxy Dress
At the moment Ballantine’s team is analyzing the feedback on the new interactive T-shirt to know how many people would probably buy it, thus, set the final retail price.
Global digital campaign, promoting the tShirtOS, has been developed by London agency Work Club, and in next couple of weeks will feature a series of films about people testing the innovative prototype in London, Mexico City and São Paulo.
Andy Sandoz, creative and innovation partner at Work Club said: «The T-shirt was the status update before the status update existed. This season, we’ve upgraded it for the digital generation, a new way to express yourself, to leave an impression. Something that the Ballantines brand is all about.»
To find out more about tshirtOS go to http://www.tshirtos.com and register your interest and ‘leave your impression’.