VIVIEN MOON

Another company is giving wearable technology a go by trying to appeal to the fashion crowd

Fitbit is working to appeal to the fashion savvy customer who also enjoys fitness by expanding their brand into smartwatches with the Fitbit Blaze. While Fitbit was already the hot go-to fitness accessory, it wasn’t versatile enough to make it in the fashion world. Now they’re competing with the likes of Apple to attract the millennial consumer.

Image courtesy of Fitbit

It’s visually attractive and meant for a workout but isn’t limited to just that because it offers a few more functions. Some of the features it provides are heart rate monitoring, GPS, workout summaries and notifications all while being water resistant (note: water resistant does not equal waterproof). It does let you accept and reject calls as well as control music playback which helps when running post-gym errands. Although this device isn’t the most innovative smartwatch, Fitbit is trying to get in the competitive game regardless. So how does it compare to the Apple watch? It’s cheaper coming in at $199.95 in comparison to the $349 Apple and the battery life is longer being 5 days as opposed to 1-2. Most functions on the watch aren’t too different but the Blaze doesn’t get third party notifications such as messages from Whatsapp and Twitter.

Image courtesy of Apple

In terms of design, there’s only so much that can be offered from a small watch that’s also high-tech and has a screen. It looks similar to the Apple watch and to the untrained eye, it can pass as such. Although is has enough features to differentiate itself from the Apple watch it could use a few more and we have suggestions:

Fitbit’s apps on the phone. Image courtesy of Fitbit. 

Metallic Straps The current Fitbit Blaze has limited choices in the straps only being offered in black, blue or plum. If there were metallic possibilities in rose gold or platinum, this would increase it’s appearance as a watch and possibly make it more attractive to the fashion world. Camera The avid gym goer whether they like to admit it or not likes to take pictures of themselves while working out. Even those who seek their fitness from the outdoors will take a picture of their running trail or their bicycle and doing it through your watch could make the shot even cooler. Friend Sync Being able to pair up your workout to your gym buddy could be the motivation some people need. Check their heart rate and see how they’re doing and this might lead to better results sans personal trainer.

Image courtesy of Fitbit

Macquarie Centre, a shopping mall in Sydney, Australia, released a short fashion film titled “Love Yourself’ for the AW 16 campaign in an effort to inspire shoppers to love themselves. The Rene Hernandez directed short is the first for the shopping destination and it seems like now shopping malls are investing in fashion films as well as fashion brands.

Although this type of advertising isn’t new, it’s becoming more common as designer houses like Chanel, Lanvin and Dior have released their own films on numerous occasions. What does a film bring that a regular advertorial campaign doesn’t? It allows for the viewer to see the items in motion, how they fit and how they enhance the actors life, something a photograph can’t fully project to the same degree. Within a film, a garment can have a life of it’s own, be blown in the wind, provide warmth or evoke a memory. With fashion films it’s easier to sell a garment because it can tap into a viewers emotions, like ‘Love Yourself’ does. In the film the lead, Sophie Lowe states “you are what you love, you are what you think, you are what you wear.” Throughout the film Lowe and Ryan Corr are wearing apparel from Alice McCall, MJ Bale and Zara as they make their way around the Blue Mountains.

This type of short is created with the same execution as a feature film, though with slightly less time. As this is a more regular occurrence, will fashion films become bigger and more common? It seems so since there is a festival dedicated to such a film genre.

The La Jolla International Film Festival that is referred to as the ‘Cannes of the fashion film world”. It takes place in La Jolla, southern California from July 29 - 30th, for the 7th year in a row giving a light to the short films. There are many films nominated for best picture, director and acting as well as other categories, similar to the Academy Awards. There is prestige behind these films now as they are recognized as more than commercials.

A photo posted by La Jolla Fashion Film Festival (@ljifff) on Feb 24, 2016 at 10:09pm PST

You are what you chant

“Find your breath and focus on it” my yoga instructor told me on a regular Sunday session in Dolores Park. It’s half past 11 am, the park is mostly filled with dogs and young families as my small group of 15 women do a type of yoga called Kundalini. We’re in the center of the notoriously slanted park and the light breeze makes the warm sun less abrasive as we do our repetitive breathing exercises. Initially, it’s hard to focus with the toddlers and puppies running around but we’re all here for the same reason, to end the week on a serene note and restore some balance in our lives.

“I want you to think to yourself, I am blissful, I am bountiful, I am beautiful,” the instructor continues as we begin to wind down. The Kundalini practice is one of many but focuses on building physical vitality and increasing consciousness. Repeating this mantra while taking deep breaths helps to cultivate positive energy and remember the simplicity of those words. We end the session with a peaceful song that praises the earth and gives thanks for our surroundings followed by a chant. “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, to the divine indweller in all, oneness.”

The initial sound heard after the creation of the universe. Image Courtesy Yoga Journal

Practicing yoga has become a ritual for many whether it’s for physical, mental wellbeing or both. Some even do it first thing in the morning to center themselves before a busy day. It’s the little bit of time you set aside to meditate and regroup your thoughts or try to stretch your body and give it the break it needs from daily wear. A meditative chant or mantra are encouraged as part of the practice to help center the thought. A mantra can be a syllable, word or collection of words representing a spiritual reality while a chant is a repetition of the mantra. They work well with yoga to help realize personal ambitions and restructure thought to what’s important.

A mantra can be chanted, whispered, sung, thought or even written depending on the type of realization is necessary. They’re primarily in Sanskrit, Gurmukhi or another form of ancient Indian language associated with a specified type of yoga. Remembering the many different mantras can be tough but finding one that resonates is what matters. Writing down a mantra can act like an affirmation, it impacts the subconscious. Chanting and saying it out loud or singing allows awareness to wake the inner vehicles. Whispering lets you see the minor changes in your awareness. Breathing a mantra lets the currents vibrate within you enhancing life force. Thinking a mantra brings the energy within and absorbs it, keeping it within and circulating.

The overall message of yoga is finding inner peace as well as bliss with your surroundings and understanding that the universe is full of energy. Where you practice isn’t what’s important but rather that you practice and take the time to thank your body. Yoga isn’t judgmental and can be done in a park with a small group of acquaintances, a dorm room by yourself or a professional studio with other yogis. With a mat you can go virtually anywhere at any time and take those few moments to disconnect from the daily grind. It helps build stability and strengthen the core, balancing the inner with the outer. Balance can be hard to master but with the help of some proper gear, a tricky pose can be more accessible. Nike’s studio wrap shoes have a silicon traction pattern that helps with grip on a mat or a regular floor and its elastic stretch helps hug the foot seamlessly. Their lightweight material gives a barefoot feeling that lets you focus more on inner stability and having a proper session of meditation. Feeling more in tune with the ground and the atmosphere, a peaceful mantra can change your whole outlook on the day.

Nike Studio Wrap 4. Image Courtesy Nike

In the park as the hour passed, the group chanting brought together a positive energy that allowed us to bond and refocus. As we wrapped up our session we finished off with a group renounced “Namaste”.

Rebecca Minkoff speaking to the crowd. Photo: Gabrielle Lurie, Courtesy of The Chronicle

It’s not often you get to see a panel of women who’ve made individually successful careers with the help of tech but on April 11, I got to see just that.

I went to UC Berkeley’s Unleash Your Creativity With Technology talk sponsored by Intel to see Rebecca Minkoff talk about technology’s impact on fashion but got to learn a lot more. As a fashion journalism student, secretly my main incentive was to see a famous designer talk about her career. However, it was quite enlightening to also learn how women are taking charge within this field. A field that still feels distant despite my living in San Francisco.

The panelists on stage. Photo: Vivien Moon

On the stage in front of many undergraduate and graduate females, 7 individual women with great insight shared their secrets to succeeding in STEM related fields. The talk was led by the Director of EECS Diverstiy & Achievement at UC Berkeley, Tiffany Shaleen Reardon who helped direct the conversation in a way the attendees could relate to. Along with Minkoff the other panelists were Alexandra Bernadotte the founder and CEO of Beyond 12, Renee Wittemyer Intel Director of policy, Hillary Kerr the  Co-founder of Who What Wear, Jess Lee the co-founder and CEO of Polyvore and Brit Morin, founder and CEO Brit + Co. Each woman had her own background but explained how to use it to your advantage in a STEM job or as Morin referred to it, STEAM, “because you can’t have science without art.”

The panelists discussed a variety of topics from how they got started online, breaking the glass ceiling to more personal topics like knowing when to let go of toxic friendships. When asked about facing rejection, Minkoff doled out a bit of advice in the form of her own mantra, “no is just the beginning of yes, it’s never a failure.” She gave examples from the start of her career when she’d have to pass out flyers to get customers to never settling or being complacent with current success. According to Minkoff, as women we’re part of the maker movement, literally and figuratively because we can do both at which point Morin pointed at her pregnant belly. The speakers were gracious, inspiring and motivating in the pursuit of jobs in an area socially women haven’t been encouraged to pursue. They reinforced the need for more women to step up and tackle issues that men wouldn’t understand. Minkoff is proof that some job’s are  better done yourself, “they don’t know what a fat mirror is,” in reference to her new “smart” dressing rooms.

Rebecca Minkoff demonstrating how to use the “smart” mirror. Image courtesy Fast Company

As the panel discussion came to a close we were encouraged to go and network with the other attendees. I found out that there were just as many from the technical sciences programs as there were from fashion. Breakout sessions followed with some of the panelists discussing millennials in the workforce or the merging of fashion and tech. The final event was a raffle draw for Rebecca Minkoff bags and a smartwatch presented by Minkoff herself. The first prize was won by my colleague, Courtney Wilkins who ran up and got her picture with the designer. I was surprised but excited for my friend to get such a great prize but the raffle wasn’t over. Up next was a bag, wallet and a ticket to Minkoff’s Fall/Winter 2016 show in New York. This got the crowd excited as everybody gripped their tickets.  As she read the numbers I saw each one on mine be read aloud. In a frenzy I quickly shouted “Woo!” and got the attention of the entire room before quickly scurrying through the crowd to the designer. As she handed me the bag with the ticket sticking out of it, we got our picture taken together and though it was all a blur it’s one I’ll never forget.

Stella McCartney All in One Onesie for adidas. Image courtesy adidas

April is Earth month and with the 22nd being Earth Day, taking care of the planet as well as the body go hand in hand. Healthy looks good on everybody especially the earth and the way to do this is by being more sustainable. Doing more for the planet can be easy and chic so learn more about it below.

Amrita Yoga legging. Image courtesy Sweaty Betty

1.      Reversible clothing

What’s better than getting two for the price of one? Not having to buy two pairs of one garment! For those who want a little more versatility in their wardrobe and hate repetitive clothing, buying reversible items is the perfect solution. This means less purchases and getting more use out of one pair of leggings or shirt. There are many reversible items available such as hats, tops and even jackets. This pair of Amrita Yoga leggings from Sweaty Betty are stylish and diverse offering a print and basic black to play up to your taste.

Sycamore Jacket from Cozy Orange. Image courtesy of Cozy Orange

2.      Eco friendly garments

The stamina behind eco friendly clothing being “hippy” is being crushed by the new sportswear lines coming out specifically aimed towards style and sustainability. At the forefront is Stella McCartney whose sole mission is to create eco-friendly garments but she’s not the only one doing this. Lesser known companies like Cozy Orange, Alternative Apparel and prAna offer garments made from recycled materials and innovative technology that combine ethics with fashion.  

Klean Kanteen water bottle. Image courtesy Klean Kanteen

3.      Water bottles, not plastic

Plastic is notorious for being harmful for the environment and for a gym regular they can be quite costly. Instead of purchasing a new Smart Water before every session, carry your own water bottle. A reusable option is Klean Kanteen who avoid BPA, donate to help the environment and continue to reduce their carbon footprint. They’ve been making stainless steel bottles since 2004 and are recognized by the B Corp making them certified as a sustainable company.

eQua towel in spirit blue from Manduka. Image courtesy of Manduka

4.      Carry your own towel

Many gyms offer towels and while it’ s a great service, it is also a waste of energy. They are washed in bulk and strong chemicals that are needed to cleanse the towels of sweat and other grimy germs that are found at the gym. Go with a more eco-friendly eQua towel from Manduka that is made from recycled synthetic material that is soft to the touch and long lasting.

Stella McCartney gray studio bag for adidas. Image courtesy Stella McCartney

5.      Carry the right bag

What’s inside the bag isn’t the only way to be sustainable because the bag itself can be green. Stella McCartney’s gray studio bag is a great example of high fashion meets fitness that’s also not too damaging on the environment. It has a crocodile print though no crocodiles were hurt in the making of the bag. It’s athletic and durable, spacious enough for all the other sustainable items to fit.

   Make sure to plan ahead and research. Image courtesy Smack Bang Designs

6.      Do the research