Amanda Cosco

No phenomenon provides a better metaphor for our deepening intimacy with digital technology than wearable tech—that is, technologies worn on, near, or inside the body. Technology is no longer something we hold onto or put in our purse or pocket — it’s something we wear on our body; it’s something that touches our skin.

While mainstream wearable technology today focuses on the wrist and looks a lot like the jewellery and accessories we’re used to (think Fitbit and Apple Watch) we’re already beginning to witness the seamless integration of technology into textiles. Sensors, conductive threads, 3D printing, and microcomputers promise to extend our clothing’s capabilities in ways never before imagined. The fashions of the future will augment our bodies, extend our senses, and enable us to cross a threshold into a new kind of existence