Fast fashion has a new (inter)face. Working at the juncture of art and science, wearable tech fanatics Nancy Tilbury and Benjamin Males were behind Richard Nicoll’s fibre-optic opening act for SS15 and Gaga’s infamous flying dress. But Studio XO’s stratospheric designs are sci-fact, not -fi; in 2015, so they say, even ready-to-wear clothing will compute.
How would you sum up what you do in a sentence?
Nancy Tilbury: At Studio XO we are busy disrupting fashion! By creating a digital haberdashery for integrated technologies embedded into clothing and accessories, we are ultimately changing the way we wear.
How do you think style and pop culture will change in 2015?
Nancy Tilbury: With the aggressive nature of today’s technologies and the desire for our devices to become more emotional and pleasurable, we’ll see a systematic shift in our cultural interactions during 2015. Our technologies will have an added layer of sensitivity. With the integration of hardware and software in, on and around the human body, we will experience new modalities through body-based computing.
In 15 words, sum up what we can expect from you in 2015.
Nancy Tilbury: We’re most excited about our work reaching the ready-to-wear and merchandise markets in 2015.
What’s the most exciting thing about the music, film and fashion industries today?
Nancy Tilbury: The impact that popular science is having in the creative industries is huge. Big brands are engaging the hacker communities to transform cultural experiences.
What new skill did you learn this year?
Nancy Tilbury: How to write a credible business plan!
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