The 2016 Met Gala, A Marriage of Fashion & Tech

30 Oct The 2016 Met Gala, A Marriage of Fashion & Tech

One of the biggest recent tech announcements came not from the scions of Silicon Valley, but from the [web] pages of Vogue Magazine. The Met Gala, chaired by godmother of fashion Anna Wintour, announced the theme of the 2016 Ball: Fashion in the Age of Technology. The annual, $25,000-a-ticket affair is one of fashion’s biggest nights of the year and serves as the annual fundraising event to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City.

So, for tech to play the starring role at the Gala is a pretty big deal.

Source: Instagram

The fashion and tech industries have been courting each other for a while now. Wearables like Google Glass (RIP) and smart watches have been showing up on Fashion Week runways for the last few seasons. Designers are ready to stab each other with sparkly stilettos to be the one with the hottest iWatch band or phone case design. And that’s not to mention tech’s introduction of smart clothing into our closet rotation with fabrics that cool the body, wick away sweat and monitor your heart rate.

It looks like the feisty fashionistas and boys from the valley are ready to make their civil union official with a fairytale wedding next May. It’s about time. People were starting to talk.

Source: Twitter

But, before you start imagining what their future collaboration will spawn – personal 3D printers that print the latest kicks at the push of a button, affordable self-sewing machines that can stitch an entire dress in a hour, startups that will lend you a wardrobe for an entire season –  instead question if this union will stick in the long-run.

Will an industry built on apprenticeships and a working your way up from intern model be willing to play house with an industry built on an ask-forgiveness-not-permission culture? Following the rules isn’t Silicon Valley’s strong suit and Fashion Avenue isn’t known for its fast innovation (DVF has been selling the same wrap dress for 40 years, after all).

So, will this marriage be a paper wedding or will each partner bring their best to the relationship?

Source: Instagram

Fashion could desperately use some of that challenge authority spunk to make improvements in its manufacturing process and chain (reduce its carbon footprint and bring some production elements back to the US) and tech could urgently use some of that debutant charm to learn how to play within the system (eliminate wage law violations and improve relationships with government officials). Both industries are already stellar at making their individual offerings as revered like art in the minds of consumers. Maybe the best is yet to come.

Apple is the 2016 sponsor of the Met Gala and the accompanying exhibit that will be displayed at the event and it is anyone’s guess what Cupertino wonders they’ll unveil. Will they surprise and delight their new in-laws (yes, please) or try to blend in with the old society crowd (I really hope not).

Whatever happens on May 2 as these industries come together for a spectacular night, it will set the tone for how they create together in the near future. Hopefully, they realize that they can do amazing things together and consumers are ready for them to make the future reality, now.

– à bientôt

Charell Star | Not Just A Girl In A Dress

Featured Image Source: Twitter