It is time for wearable technology

Özge Zeki

ISTANBUL — Tuba Ergin's collection highlights the everincreasing harmonization of fashion and technology.

As a technological ready-to-wear collection, Ergin's pieces are the new interpretation of the wearable technology trend. Inspired by circuit cards, the collection includes knitwear jacquards with circuit patterns and knitted printings. The circuit cards are also placed on shoes, bags, belts and other garments. Ergin used a variety of different innovations in her collection, such as semi-transparent materials resembling multiple ultrasonic films, laser-cut neoprene and copper-zinc alloys used in leather, transformed LED cards and hand-knit leather dresses. We sat down to talk about wearable technology with Ergin.

How important is technology in your life? Could you live without it?

TE: Technology is indispensable for urban life and for a woman with two children who engages in international business. It is a fact that we are increasingly addicted to technological services beyond our imagination 20 years ago. This is because we arrange our lifestyle in parallel with technology. I believe there is almost no difference between drug abuse and technology addiction.

Do you think wearable technologies will become popular in the near future? What are your predictions?

TE: Wearable technologies started with the use of smart glasses and watches and seem to push the limits of our imagination in the near future. A variety of newly developed products released to the market including Google glasses, sun protection bracelets and smart rings that give commands through fingers to control electronic gadgets. There are also others on the way, such as smart clothes compatible to body rhythm, temperature and heart pulse. As technology progresses, people will continue to invent new products combining fashion and creativity.

How was the feedback you received after the Fashion Week? Which collection raised the most attention?

TE: My collection attracted a great interest among fashion lovers. The most popular and interesting pieces were innovative embroideries used on leather products, different material combinations and, at the end of our show, the dresses lightened with LEDs. Thanks to LED technology integrated into fabric without weaving and lit with batteries, I designed night and mini cocktail dresses.

I discovered this technolog y on a recent visit to Italy. When I saw a fabric with LED, I thought it would perfectly suit my collection. As a relatively new technolog y, it is somewhat a complicated innovation used in the textile industry. It works with batteries and requires a high level of engineering support.

After a series of trials, this innovation helped me enhance my fashion concepts. The lights of the show hall were turned off to display the collection in a dark atmosphere.

We made an interesting final show with the models in ceremony and stage costumes.

Which countries are interested in your collection?

TE: Since 2010, most of our products were sold to Japan. Other countries, including Italy, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Canada, South Korea and Hong Kong, have purchased the collection. Australia and Lebanon will be included to our sale network starting the autumn and winter seasons of 2015.

Currently, my products are sold at our boutique located in Galata, Istanbul. Online sales will begin at the end of this month.

What are your future projects?

I will continue to work on wearable technology. As a woman always complaining about cold weather, I am designing a heated female jacket.

You may see this product in my winter collection. My collections have been displayed at Istanbul Fashion Week for three seasons. I want to organize a fashion show at Milano Fashion Week and open my second boutique in the near future.