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Fashion | TELUS Wearable Technology X Startup Fashion Week

Fashion | TELUS Wearable Technology X Startup Fashion Week

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It’s no question that fashion has long been creating fads, we’ve seen them come and go; it creates them only to deem them “over” the following season. You know this, I certainly know this, but if there’s one constant with fashion that we can associate it with: it’s change. It has to evolve — adapt to the ever-growing and (as of recent years) immensely tech-savvy population that demand instant gratification for pictures, behind-the-scenes glimpses to shows and immediate access to everything from models & celebrities to shoes & handbags.

I’m a freaking blogger, I’ve been doing this for over SEVEN YEARS, if it weren’t for my guerrilla-like take over on social media I wouldn’t be where I am so yeah, I’d like to think I know a thing or two about the internet, the authentic approach to the internet anyways. So when something like Startup Fashion Week steps into the spotlight I tend to perk my ears up — especially when it involves young and emerging designers.

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Startup Fashion Week explores the synergy of fashion, technology and business with, as I mentioned, an emphasis on supporting emerging entrepreneurs both in fashion design and digital fashion start-ups. This year held from October 5-9 in Toronto, the week long initiative offers guests an array of events ranging from full day conferences, runway showcases, workshops, networking receptions and more. The good thing is that I’m not the only one paying attention – TELUS has been keeping up with their work and believe in it so much they partnered with SFW this season to host the second annual Startup Fashion Week at their Toronto headquarters. Being a company that’s submersed in the world of technology and mobile devices it has a pulse on (if not leading) the wearable and accessories market and is focused on curating the most sought-after wearables and accessories that suit customers’ diverse needs without compromising their desire for style.

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The final day held a curated runway show of designers and startups with a collection of TELUS‘ own wearable technology closing the show:

Amanda Maria – amandamariafashion.com

She Native – shenative.com

Maison CYMA – maisoncyma.com

Wear Your Label – wearyourlabel.com

Pepper Couture – facebook.com/PepperCouture

Ear-O-Smart – earosmart.com

MUSE – choosemuse.com

Peace Collective – peace-collective.com

Daniel Christian Tang – danielchristiantang.com

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I’ve been very adamant about the aesthetics on wearables and have always knocked them for being so tech-y looking; I’m a purist. I hate trends, I strive to have classics at the forefront. So its taken a while for these wearable tech pieces (for me) to look like they can be something I integrated into my or a client’s wardrobe. Functionality aside, it has to freaking look good for me to wear it – I’m not a cast member of Star Trek TNG! All that said, I revisited the concept of wearable tech. Especially watches. I’m always wearing a traditional watch and perhaps tech designers have polished off some of those 1st Gen styles? Maybe they’re less bulky? More streamlined at least?

Then I met the Moto 360 (above) – Motorola’s second foray into the wearables category and it was instant love. It was simple. It had no visible (unnecessary) buttons. It has a brushed polished leather band. LEATHER. It was the silhouette that made its (non-digital) predecessor a men’s timepiece classic – what’s not to love? Add cellphone connectivity, instant weather updates, heart rate sensor and countless other functionalities. It’s literally sophisticated functionality. The best part is that TELUS has the Moto 360 and countless other accessories. Whether you’re looking for smartphone protection like a Kate Spade New York case, powering up with a Native Union belt cable, listening to music with the help of the Beats headphones or trying to find something polished and functional like the Moto 360, TELUS has curated the most sought-after accessories to complement customers’ digital lifestyles.

Technology isn’t going anywhere, its concept is so heavily integrated into our lives that it’s an extension of us, we rely on it to commute and travel, its improved our standard of living, revolutionized how we, as a species, communicate with one another. And those are just the basics. Keep your eyes on these young designers and startups, some of which are already making waves and really looking forward to what SFW & TELUS can create in the seasons to come!

Photos: Julio Reyes on Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Julio Reyes

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