Rebecca Minkoff has been one of my favorite designers for a while now (I have a giant pink bag to prove it). The fun colors, prints, and lines she uses, make her clothing and accessories so appealing to a broad audience of women.
What’s more, is she has been one of the top industry fashion designers to embrace the melding of technology. In the past she has collaborated with other designers for stylish tech efforts, like Stellé on speakers and Frends on headphones; and she’s made bold moves in experimenting with social media, like when she became the first fashion brand to release content through Snapchat, or when she engaged fans through Instagram, in helping her choose looks for her 2015 spring collection fashion show. Now, she is partnering up with Intel in their efforts to get full representation of women and minorities by 2020. “I wouldn’t have this brand without technology,” Minkoff said at the UN Women’s Planet 50-50 event. “So if I can be helping more women to be thinking differently and creatively in that space, that’s what gets me excited.” Check out some of the ways Minkoff has incorporated technology into her own brand.
Futuristic Shopping
Customers receive a shopping experience unlike any other
Last year, the first stores of its kind, opened in New York and San Fransisco, giving customers the ultimate virtual shopping experience. Shoppers are able to select items in the sizes they desire, are texted when their items and fitting room are ready – and better yet, once in the fitting room, they can digitally request additional sizes without leaving half naked.
It is not only convenient for customers, but for the store’s inventory and consumer data. The merchandise tags, equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, keep a accurate view of inventory, as well as keep track of what customers are trying on, leaving behind and purchasing, giving the company more real-time insights. Minkoff teamed up with eBay back in 2011 when she began using their Magento e-commerce platform. Since then, they have been a huge part of her company’s new shopping endeavor.
Tech it out
Wearable and handy tech pieces by Rebecca Minkoff
This year Rebecca Minkoff launched not one, but two wearable technology bracelets, along with other accessories such as phone wristlets and cases. In her blog post, complete with GIFs to show the pieces in action, Minkoff writes about the “daily struggle for more battery life,” which is something we are familiar with. The wearable tech includes a fashionable chain link notification bracelet, alerting you of calls and texts through Bluetooth pairing (similar to Ringly, I wrote about here); and a studded bracelet that converts into a USB cable when you need a charge or have to upload a file from your phone. Talk about handy!
As you can probably tell, I’m a fan. Minkoff is changing, not only looks, but the way people are shopping, and what it means to be a fashion designer. She’s an inspiration, and her designs are a vision from every millennial’s dream closet. I can’t wait to see what she will debut on the runway tomorrow in the 2016 Spring/Summer NYFW shows and in her future tech efforts!
Mediatation 