As the hype of wearables dies down, one thing is clear: companies need their fashion tech offerings to look more like fashion and less like tech. They also need to sell their products in places we typically associate with fashion rather than tech.
One entrepreneur who grasps the importance of reaching his demographic where they already shop is Gerald Wilmink, the Founder and CEO of WiseWear. Yesterday, he tweeted that his connected bracelet will be available at department store Saks Fifth Avenue in September. We are in the process of confirming whether this means all Saks locations or just ones across the USA.
Wisewear will be available at Saks starting in September 😉 #fashion #tech #iot pic.twitter.com/jup4KDhSeJ
— Gerald Wilmink, PhD (@GeraldJWilmink) July 23, 2016
WiseWear, the wristable with features including activity tracking, distress messaging, and mobile notifications, made waves at CES earlier this year when the company announced an official partnership with design icon Iris Apfel.
This new announcement underscores the brand’s emphasis on fashion—a smooth move in a market saturated with technology-driven gadgets. With Apfel lending her public image and Saks introducing the bracelet to a wider audience, WiseWear may be on track to lead the smart jewelry market.
***UPDATE***
Read my full interview with WiseWear on WWD here click click click.