Fashion startups updated the "smart dresser" idea at this year's Fashion Tech Forum in New York City, showcasing products ranging from phone-charging clutches to garment-driven search engines between panel discussions on connected consumers and the future of wearables.
Montreal-based OMsignal stood out for inverting couture's classic made-to-measure formula with a biometric T-shirt designed to tailor a workout to a wearer's fitness goals by streaming detailed information about their vital functions to a fitness app and virtual trainer. The unique combination of intelligent textile, hardware and software made fitness tracking bracelets seem a bit retro.
The OMsignal tee is made of a machine washable polyester/lycra fabric interwoven with sensors that act as a 3-lead EKG, measuring heart rate, breathing and other vital stats. A detachable Smart Box houses an accelerometer and acts as a transmitter and memory card. Pairing the OMsignal Smart Box with an app that overlays vital statistics on an interactive workout video led by a personal trainer helps to optimize a workout - a feature sure to appeal to people with limited time and high-efficiency demands.
"We have a shirt for men at the moment. We're working on a collection for women," said OMsignal's Roberto Cialdella, marketing manager. "It'll be a sports bra released at the end of the year."
OMsignal has reported sales in 55 countries and last month the company opened a pop-up store in San Francisco's Westfield Mall, where OMsignal trainers conduct free workouts with access into real-time biometrics via the company's biometric smartwear, through July 12.
Remember wearables? The future of fitness among the smartly dressed seems to be apparel that's connected, not simply worn.
