Barneys New York, Council of Fashion Designers of America, Intel and Opening Ceremony Announce Wearable Tech Collaborations
- Intel, leading international fashion design house and curator Opening Ceremony, luxury retailer Barneys New York, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America announce collaborations to explore and deliver smart wearable technology.
- To kick-off the collaborations, Opening Ceremony and Intel will work together on the design and development of a smart bracelet based on Intel technology. Barneys New York will carry this device in their stores, being one of the first luxury retail outlets to carry wearable technologies.
- Intel and the Council of Fashion Designers of America entered into a strategic collaboration to create a community for technology developers and fashion designers focused on wearable technology.
INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, Las Vegas, Jan. 6, 2014 – Intel Corporation, Barneys New York, the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Opening Ceremony today announced strategic collaborations to explore and bring to market smart wearable technology, and to increase dialogue and cooperation between the fashion and technology industries.
“The collaborations we announced today are indicative of Intel’s collective and conscious approach to the wearable market,” said Ayse Ildeniz, vice president, Business Development and Strategy of Intel’s New Devices Group. “Through these initiatives we will combine Intel’s leading technologies with Opening Ceremony’s design prowess, Barneys New York’s track record to identify the next consumer trends, and CFDA’s commitment to advance innovation within the fashion industry. Our shared vision is to accelerate wearable technology innovation and create products that both enhance peoples’ lives and are desirable to wear.”
As part of the collaborations, Intel and Opening Ceremony intend to collaborate in the design of a smart bracelet concept based on Intel technology with design direction from Opening Ceremony.
“Humberto and I have always allowed our curiosity to take us to uncharted waters. Since our early travels and shopping sprees in Asia, we've been keen on discovery,” said Carol Lim, co-owner of Opening Ceremony. “This is an incredibly exciting and unique opportunity with Intel to bring our design vision to a wearable accessory that collides with Intel's state of the art innovation with fashion. We are diving in to embark on a journey with Intel and can’t wait to see where it will take us. Intel is a company that has powered our lives in countless ways and now we get to be a part of shaping the 21st century with them.”
People’s experiences with a product starts with a first glance at where and how it is presented in the stores. Regarded as the mecca for discerning fashionistas, Barneys New York’s museum-like approach to merchandizing provides a unique opportunity to showcase thoughtfully designed wearable technologies. Barneys New York will carry the smart bracelet engineered by Intel and designed by Opening Ceremony.
“One of the greatest opportunities for wearable technology as a concept to be successful is fairly simple - to design a beautiful accessory that our customers would desire,” said Daniella Vitale, COO of Barneys New York. “It is exciting to be part of an elite group of brands to bring the reality of smart fashion to life. In collaboration with Intel, we are excited to announce that Barneys New York will be one of the first luxury retailers to merchandise a beautifully designed, smart accessory from Opening Ceremony.”
To scale the convergence of the two industries, Intel will work with CFDA to create a community for technology developers and fashion designers to network, match-make, cultivate
and exchange ideas on wearable technology. The collaboration will connect more than 400 leading fashion designers who are members of CFDA with abroad ecosystem of hardware and software developers that Intel has been instrumental in building in the last 40 years.
“CFDA’s commitments are to drive innovation in the fashion industry and as we look at the power of technology and its influence on fashion, we believe technology will need to be part of the fashion industry’s DNA,” said Steven Kolb, CEO of CFDA. “That’s why we are excited to announce a strategic collaboration with Intel on wearable technology in which we can bring together unique strengths of the two industries -- Intel, a company that delivers technological innovation across computing devices, and our designers, who design beautiful clothing and accessories that people want to wear. The two together will be a powerful combination.”
“The collaborations we announced today will merge the expertise of two very distinct disciplines of technology and fashion, essential in realizing the vision of prolific adoption of wearable technology,” added Ildeniz. “Intel’s aim is to initiate sustainable, long-term cooperation between the technology and fashion worlds beginning with the today’s announcements.”
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.
