The future of fashion: Israeli design students developing 'smart' clothes

"Wearable computing" fuses technology and textiles for apparel that seemingly stems from science fiction for a sashay down the runway.

By JULIE STEIGERWALD
Updated: SEPTEMBER 20, 2015 13:07
Wearable computing designs at Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art (photo credit: AHIKAM BEN YOSEF)
Wearable computing designs at Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art
(photo credit: AHIKAM BEN YOSEF)
Israeli students are working toward redefining what it means to dress smart, as they work to design the future of clothing by incorporating function with fashion.
Software engineering and fashion design students at Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art in Ramat Gan are teaming up to fuse technology and textiles into "wearable computing."
Seemingly stemming from science fiction for a strut down the runway, the students are designing items such as camouflage dresses that change color depending on the wearer's surrounding and garments with integrated sensory functions that can monitor heart-rate.
Other prototypes of the new-age apparel being designed at Shenkar, include pieces that signal proximity to alcohol through hue variation and adapt depending on lighting levels.
The production of "smart' clothing will prove "to become an important sector in the hi-tech world," according to the heads of the college's software engineering and fashion design divisions.
"Wearable computing will become more and more an applicable part of our daily lives in the future," say software engineering department head Dr. Amnon Dekel and fashion design department head Leah Peretz.