Re: The Next Black
In this post I am responding to the 2014 documentary work The Next Black by AEG. In this post I am purely responding to the content in the film. I may in future try to follow up and see which of the ideas have lasted now that we are five years on from it's release (spoiler alert -- ifixit survives).
Approaching fashion from the outside it is somewhat clear to me that black has always been a quintessential color in fashion, and maintains a strong presence in all worn items. Any company that can find a product or a trend that will catch and stick in the same way that the color black has a foundational idea to be sure.
The Next Black identifies a few ideas leading the fashion industry currently and weaves all of them into the technological renaissance that wearable items are approaching.
In the first section the film investigates Studio XO and their work making specialized technical outfits. While the outfits aren't made as practical garments for mass social consumption, they are still built around tight engineering constraints. The design studio has worked on outfits for numerous musical acts and performers, though the video highlights one specific dress worn by Lady Gaga. This type of garment is specifically interesting because of the position that it occupies in the fashion and design world. The extravagant nature of the outfit ensures that general consumers aren't the target market, yet it exists as a generally accepted performance piece in high fashion realms. To me this seems to be a snapshot of the transitional phase that wearable technologies are at. Being passed from absurdity, to extravagance, eventually to integration. I am by no means an expert on the world of high fashion, but I think we can expect to see something of a co-evolution as the techniques mature.
A big section of the current wearable market is comprised by performance classification technologies. Adidas has been one of the companies at the forefront attempting to capitalize on this trend, though they are certainly not alone. In fact, in the time since this documentary was made Adidas has developed a commercial performance tracking application, and subsequently decided to abandon the world of wearable technology.
I cannot determine the absolute determining factors that lead to Adidas' decision, but the space is extremely dense currently. Many people seem to have identified athletics and performance classification as an ideal (initial?) market. The primary product presented to consumers are is metrics. This seems like such a small segment of the role that wearable technologies will play in the future that I expect many of these companies to adapt into other market areas, or follow Adidas' example in forgoing expensive technological development in this competitive space.
The interview subject, Matthew Hymes from Adidas says in this section that devices will be adopted after becoming "smaller, faster, and smarter". While I cannot speak the what he meant by smarter, I think that devices will have to provide a more essential service than pure metrics before they are able to be generally adopted.
The future of wearable items isn't necessarily dominated by clothing with computational capabilities sewn into the fabric. Suzanne Lee is a pioneer in a completely separate direction investigating alternative materials for clothing. To this end her company uses Kombucha leather to create garments. But let's back up -- what is Kombucha leather? Kombucha is fermented tea, usually a refreshment, made using sugar, tea, bacteria, and yeast. The bacteria and yeast feed on the sugar and grow into a rubbery layer in the shape of the jar that they grow in. When this layer of bacteria and yeast are dried they form a leathery material which can be sewed, cut, and dyed!
Materials research like this are exciting as they allow the imagination to wander to all kinds of textures and the properties that new materials might have. I grew up thinking of fabrics as a fixed set of things with specific properties. This research is that special kind which brings some childhood wonder back into every day items.
The current modus operandi in the majority of the consumer world is dominated by Fast-Fashion, the name for a phenomenon that I have been experiencing my entire life without a proper name. Consumers today have been normalized to the idea that a local superstore will have clothing items in their size at all times on demand in any style. This has lead to a significantly more rapid cycling of fashion styles and a willingness to abandon and replace clothing. This puts a stress on the environment, as more garments are being produced to keep stores stocked, and to satisfy ever changing demands.
As a response Patagonia and others are promoting Slow Fashion -- where consumers only purchase what they need, and take more care such that the garments last longer.
I think that the success of slow fashion hinges critically on a change in the way that we consume clothing. Changing that behavior through technological and social means could significantly reduce the overall environmental footprint and create an example industry for self regulation. Two usage extreme's that I see often (as a twenty-something graduate student) is an over full closet with options for all occasions, or a simple closet with functional outfits, even if some have not been worn in a while. Convincing either of those consumers to adopt a completely different model will be difficult if and I don't see the purely economic incentive for companies to make a coordinated shift in that direction, but that doesn't mean that it can't happen.
The penultimate section of the video addresses the problem of water usage in the garment industry by highlighting a new technology for dying fabrics without using any water. This section does a good job of highlighting one link in the entire chain of production that has a bright future when it comes to technology and garments. My hope is that this stands as an example of the technological advances that are being made at every step in the production process. We can never settle for the level of waste being created in the chain as we can always do more to improve our footprint.
One concern that I had at this section was about the availability of this technology to smaller companies. Of course a major conglomerate like Nike is able to afford the newest technologies and research new techniques. But do techniques like this disadvantage smaller businesses? My inclination is that the segmented nature of the garment industry will allow for small businesses to acquire fabric from retailers who have themselves invested in these new mechanical techniques. My hope is that these economic forces don't slow the adoption of technologies that provide significant environmental benefits.
The final section major section in the film reinforces the importance of fixing things. With the availability provided by fast fashion many items are abandoned or discarded at the first sign of wear because the perceived investment in time and knowledge to repair something is insurmountable. Ifixit attempts to fight these forces by providing materials and guides for consumers to become master repairmen for the items that they own. In the time since this video has come out Ifixit had developed into a multi-million dollar company and helped many people repair their devices. This story isn't necessarily one with a happy ending however, as Ifixit which has often been critical of the poor repairability of Apple products, was purchased by Apple. I have seen no indication that Apple leans on Ifixit unfairly in any way, however it presents a situation resembling that of The War to Sell You a Matress on The Internet (a fantastic read if you have some time).
While it is important for consumers to be cognizant of their usage of items and the potential for repair and continued utility that an item provides, I think that this is only half of the story. A gigantic issue in this space is planned obsolescence. Companies construct devices with parts specially chosen to fail in such a way that the entire item must be replaced, or parts with planned limitations. This is more difficult to identify specifically in the garment industry, but it drives the same over-consumption that fast-fashion feeds on. As technology is continually integrated into our wearable technologies we need to take extreme caution to prevent these predatory and wasteful practices.
A second possible future development that the video speculates upon is developments in the garment industry's consumer side purchasing model. With large numbers of people wearing only a fraction of the clothing that they own, the video suggests that a subscription based model might be applicable to clothing.First off -- the idea of paying to subscribe to clothing disgusts me, and the suggestion that millennials and generation Z enjoy subscription based marketing techniques is somewhat offensive. Subscription based models to me represent a company attempting to recuperate a consistent revenue stream from a product that is only purchased once, and it is a model that requires a large amount of restraint from the corporation to resist abusing. That said - alternative models for clothing purchase (if and when fast fashion dies) are really exciting to me.
The closing tone of the film is one of optimism. We can be better because we have the choice to be, and the creative opportunities will flourish as a new generation is brought up seeing them as natural. I strongly agree, and the thing that gives me the most hope is the internet community that is out there integrating themselves with wearable technologies already.
In the introduction the narrator mentions an adage attributed to Coco Chanel -- "Fashion passes; Style remains". The full quote comes from an interview with the word mode stands in for popular ways of dressing --
The sun may never set on the reign of black. But each time we iterate the over a black garment in the future it seems likely that tech will be renewed and evolved along with it.
Approaching fashion from the outside it is somewhat clear to me that black has always been a quintessential color in fashion, and maintains a strong presence in all worn items. Any company that can find a product or a trend that will catch and stick in the same way that the color black has a foundational idea to be sure.
The Next Black identifies a few ideas leading the fashion industry currently and weaves all of them into the technological renaissance that wearable items are approaching.
Immediate response
The production and design incorporated in the video is tremendous. Having tried my hand at very simple design techniques is enough to recognize that the graphic and sound design teams from AEG are extremely skilled and bring a sleek, stylish, futuristic pace to the entire video. This production level sets the tone for presented arguments and gives (in my uneducated view) an air of authority on the subject of fashion to the video. The topics covered are hot areas today and viewing them as examples sets a bright tone for the future.
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Chapter Responses
1. Merging Fashion and Tech
[Nany Tillbury -- Studio XO]In the first section the film investigates Studio XO and their work making specialized technical outfits. While the outfits aren't made as practical garments for mass social consumption, they are still built around tight engineering constraints. The design studio has worked on outfits for numerous musical acts and performers, though the video highlights one specific dress worn by Lady Gaga. This type of garment is specifically interesting because of the position that it occupies in the fashion and design world. The extravagant nature of the outfit ensures that general consumers aren't the target market, yet it exists as a generally accepted performance piece in high fashion realms. To me this seems to be a snapshot of the transitional phase that wearable technologies are at. Being passed from absurdity, to extravagance, eventually to integration. I am by no means an expert on the world of high fashion, but I think we can expect to see something of a co-evolution as the techniques mature.
2. Smart Clothes
[Matthew Hymes -- Adidas]A big section of the current wearable market is comprised by performance classification technologies. Adidas has been one of the companies at the forefront attempting to capitalize on this trend, though they are certainly not alone. In fact, in the time since this documentary was made Adidas has developed a commercial performance tracking application, and subsequently decided to abandon the world of wearable technology.
I cannot determine the absolute determining factors that lead to Adidas' decision, but the space is extremely dense currently. Many people seem to have identified athletics and performance classification as an ideal (initial?) market. The primary product presented to consumers are is metrics. This seems like such a small segment of the role that wearable technologies will play in the future that I expect many of these companies to adapt into other market areas, or follow Adidas' example in forgoing expensive technological development in this competitive space.
The interview subject, Matthew Hymes from Adidas says in this section that devices will be adopted after becoming "smaller, faster, and smarter". While I cannot speak the what he meant by smarter, I think that devices will have to provide a more essential service than pure metrics before they are able to be generally adopted.
3. Brewing Sustainable Fabrics
[Suzanne Lee -- Biocouture]The future of wearable items isn't necessarily dominated by clothing with computational capabilities sewn into the fabric. Suzanne Lee is a pioneer in a completely separate direction investigating alternative materials for clothing. To this end her company uses Kombucha leather to create garments. But let's back up -- what is Kombucha leather? Kombucha is fermented tea, usually a refreshment, made using sugar, tea, bacteria, and yeast. The bacteria and yeast feed on the sugar and grow into a rubbery layer in the shape of the jar that they grow in. When this layer of bacteria and yeast are dried they form a leathery material which can be sewed, cut, and dyed!
Materials research like this are exciting as they allow the imagination to wander to all kinds of textures and the properties that new materials might have. I grew up thinking of fabrics as a fixed set of things with specific properties. This research is that special kind which brings some childhood wonder back into every day items.
4. Fast Fashion
[Rick Ridgeway -- Patagonia]The current modus operandi in the majority of the consumer world is dominated by Fast-Fashion, the name for a phenomenon that I have been experiencing my entire life without a proper name. Consumers today have been normalized to the idea that a local superstore will have clothing items in their size at all times on demand in any style. This has lead to a significantly more rapid cycling of fashion styles and a willingness to abandon and replace clothing. This puts a stress on the environment, as more garments are being produced to keep stores stocked, and to satisfy ever changing demands.
As a response Patagonia and others are promoting Slow Fashion -- where consumers only purchase what they need, and take more care such that the garments last longer.
I think that the success of slow fashion hinges critically on a change in the way that we consume clothing. Changing that behavior through technological and social means could significantly reduce the overall environmental footprint and create an example industry for self regulation. Two usage extreme's that I see often (as a twenty-something graduate student) is an over full closet with options for all occasions, or a simple closet with functional outfits, even if some have not been worn in a while. Convincing either of those consumers to adopt a completely different model will be difficult if and I don't see the purely economic incentive for companies to make a coordinated shift in that direction, but that doesn't mean that it can't happen.
5. Dyeing Without Water
[Sophie Mather -- Nike Asia]The penultimate section of the video addresses the problem of water usage in the garment industry by highlighting a new technology for dying fabrics without using any water. This section does a good job of highlighting one link in the entire chain of production that has a bright future when it comes to technology and garments. My hope is that this stands as an example of the technological advances that are being made at every step in the production process. We can never settle for the level of waste being created in the chain as we can always do more to improve our footprint.
One concern that I had at this section was about the availability of this technology to smaller companies. Of course a major conglomerate like Nike is able to afford the newest technologies and research new techniques. But do techniques like this disadvantage smaller businesses? My inclination is that the segmented nature of the garment industry will allow for small businesses to acquire fabric from retailers who have themselves invested in these new mechanical techniques. My hope is that these economic forces don't slow the adoption of technologies that provide significant environmental benefits.
6. Fixing Things
[Kyle Wiens & Brittany McCriggler -- Ifixit]The final section major section in the film reinforces the importance of fixing things. With the availability provided by fast fashion many items are abandoned or discarded at the first sign of wear because the perceived investment in time and knowledge to repair something is insurmountable. Ifixit attempts to fight these forces by providing materials and guides for consumers to become master repairmen for the items that they own. In the time since this video has come out Ifixit had developed into a multi-million dollar company and helped many people repair their devices. This story isn't necessarily one with a happy ending however, as Ifixit which has often been critical of the poor repairability of Apple products, was purchased by Apple. I have seen no indication that Apple leans on Ifixit unfairly in any way, however it presents a situation resembling that of The War to Sell You a Matress on The Internet (a fantastic read if you have some time).
While it is important for consumers to be cognizant of their usage of items and the potential for repair and continued utility that an item provides, I think that this is only half of the story. A gigantic issue in this space is planned obsolescence. Companies construct devices with parts specially chosen to fail in such a way that the entire item must be replaced, or parts with planned limitations. This is more difficult to identify specifically in the garment industry, but it drives the same over-consumption that fast-fashion feeds on. As technology is continually integrated into our wearable technologies we need to take extreme caution to prevent these predatory and wasteful practices.
X. Closing Remarks
One topic that the film waits until the very end to address and gives very little time to is the possible implications that general adoption of wearable technologies could have. In the closing segment of the film Nancy Tillbury of studio XO mentions that garments might function something like "wearing a tumblr blog". This is something that I like to think about. While clothing has long been a signifier of political movements in the past (insert image of MAGA hat here), it usually entailed purchase of an entirely new item or outfit. However, a programmable outfit could be tailored in an instant to create a unified form of worn expression. I think that this will be fascinating to follow.A second possible future development that the video speculates upon is developments in the garment industry's consumer side purchasing model. With large numbers of people wearing only a fraction of the clothing that they own, the video suggests that a subscription based model might be applicable to clothing.First off -- the idea of paying to subscribe to clothing disgusts me, and the suggestion that millennials and generation Z enjoy subscription based marketing techniques is somewhat offensive. Subscription based models to me represent a company attempting to recuperate a consistent revenue stream from a product that is only purchased once, and it is a model that requires a large amount of restraint from the corporation to resist abusing. That said - alternative models for clothing purchase (if and when fast fashion dies) are really exciting to me.
The closing tone of the film is one of optimism. We can be better because we have the choice to be, and the creative opportunities will flourish as a new generation is brought up seeing them as natural. I strongly agree, and the thing that gives me the most hope is the internet community that is out there integrating themselves with wearable technologies already.
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In the introduction the narrator mentions an adage attributed to Coco Chanel -- "Fashion passes; Style remains". The full quote comes from an interview with the word mode stands in for popular ways of dressing --
Mode passes; style remains. Mode is made of a few amusing ideas, meant to be used up quickly, so they can be replaced by others in the next collection. A style endures even as it is renewed and evolved."While each of the individual projects investigated in this piece seems to me an amusing idea, I don't know that any one is the silver bullet that will survive the test of time. However, the collection as a whole demonstrate to me a style: a shared vision to work towards, and included in every facet of the garment industry.
The sun may never set on the reign of black. But each time we iterate the over a black garment in the future it seems likely that tech will be renewed and evolved along with it.
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