Today’s post pays homage Harvard fashionistas and UT Dallas scientists, two groups who are very Thread Conscious in my opinion, and taking fashion in a new, intelligent direction.
Recently, Harvard Business School (HBU) has seen an influx of students with a serious eye for fashion, no doubt due to its alumni who have successfully started companies such as Gilt Groupe, Fashion Stake, Birchbox and Rent the Runway, to name a few.
About four months ago, Annie Karni of the New York Post’s Page Six reported on the chic new happenings at Harvard, including a visit by none other than Anna “She Who Must Be Obeyed” Wintour, in Spring 2010. HBU even boasts a Luxury Goods & Design Business Club and a Retail and Apparel Club, proving that fashion is serious business.
A few days ago, David Zax of Fast Company reported that a group of UT Dallas scientists are harnessing “nano technology” that could lead to electric-powered apparel. Yes, you read that correctly. One day your shirt or jeans may be able to power your Blackberry or iPhone. While I love the idea of that, in all its geeky glory, you shouldn’t get too excited just yet. The research is ongoing and the concept novel. Still, I get all giddy when high-tech meets high fashion.
For the super-nerdy types (like me), after you read the Fast Company article about UT Dallas’ nano-scientists, I have provided a snippet below of a patent application for a similar technology, co-invented by Ray Baugham, director of UT Dallas’ MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute. See paragraph 0003 under “Field of the Invention.”
Fashionably Yours,
Nik
