Levi’s And Google Release Smart Jacket That Can Answer Your Calls And Take A Selfie

Levi’s And Google Release Smart Jacket That Can Answer Your Calls And Take A Selfie
B&T Magazine
By B&T Magazine



What happens when you put a team of fashion designers and a team of technologists in the same room?

The Levi’s Trucker Jacket with Jacquard by Google is the result of such a collaboration.

The aim of the smart jacket is simple: get people touching their phone less.

A small chip is inserted into the lefthand cuff of the jacket, while smart fibres located in the same area are capable of sensing hand movements.

The jacket is not looking to replace a product like an Apple Watch. Its capabilities are mainly around controlling music, navigation, camera and showing notifications.

Rather, it is about taking smart technology and applying it to something that we already use. This is to avoid another smart device ending up in “the back of your sock drawer”, said Levi Strauss & Co VP global product innovation Paul Dillinger.

“We’re taking an iconic Levi’s form, the jean jacket that we’ve known and loved for 53 years, and we’re adding this new technology component that allows touch and gesture on the cuff of the jacket to become a method for interacting with the digital utility of your smartphone,” he continued.

“The thinking is, if everything in our life can do a little extra, then there’s nothing in our life that has to do everything.”

Levi’s has previously launched the same technology on commuter jackets two years ago, and the Jacquard by Google technology is also available on a backpack.

And while there is no way to know whether this type of technology will take off, Levi’s latest venture marks another significant brand repositioning move for the denim stalwart.

The company has placed a strong emphasis on sustainability in recent times, while its 2017 ‘Circles’ campaign championed inclusivity.

Dillinger said the Trucker Jacket with Jacquard by Google is about making sure the company is ahead of the curve.

“I don’t think it’s up to use to say what the future is going to be, but I think it’s my job to make sure we’re the first there.

 




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