There is no doubt that clothing designed with new digital accessories in mind will have a definite place in the market in the future. Jeans that are designed with purpose-built pockets for mobile phones (with flaps that close tight), or have pouches for memory sticks/flash drives (see WTF Jeans for example) or sleeves that have pouches in them for Londoner’s “Oyster” cards (with smartchips that need to be touched onto a sensor pad at the station platform to gain access to the train) are already available.
Or, you could go slightly more esoteric with a Bandee – basically a sash with various pockets. Or, as their website puts it: “a multifunctional transport solution for the little things of everyday life.” Phones, music players, wallets, ID, keys, lipstick and a virtually infinite variety of other small items fit nicely in its many pockets, relieving the wearer of the need to carry a heavy bag or load the pockets of one’s clothes.
But, now, let’s take all this one step further and add little battery packs into these clothing items, and allow me to recharge my digital devices while storing them on my person. Then we’ll be talking. I have a feeling that the future of fashion is not going to look like all those Star Trek movies after all.
To add to your list, I heard of a T-Shirt that has a form of back-lighted digital display in it, that when a particular signal frequency is ‘thrown’ it’s way, it automatically ‘comes alive’ and displays a message or image or whatever.
The applications are both entertaining and income generating if you allow your mind to work with it for a little while : )
Wow – a serious practical use for this, could be for cyclists in early-morning/evening to become more visible to other road users! Large Display message or yellow X on red background??