Nothing grabs a consumer with a short attention span like a large screen built into the side of a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Fashionistas, die-hard members of the Nicolas Ghesquiere fanclub, and digital nomads with deep pockets, sit up and pay attention. Louis Vuitton has created special high-tech versions of their iconic Speedy and Duffle bags, which feature flexible OLED digital screens that can display moving images. Called Canvas of the Future, both bags are prototypes from their Cruise 2020 show – although calling them bags is probably understating the real extent of their capabilities.
To Luddites and naysayers who snipe that technology has made people anti-social, it’s plain to see from the advertising that these bags are in fact an interface with the world at large. Case in point: Just look at the flexible touchscreens displaying footage of New York and Paris. Their scrolling web browser showing Louis Vuitton merchandise is proof that personalisation is possible, allowing anyone to make a statement about whatever it is they hold close to their heart. Jokes aside, we really like to think of these bags as oversized iPad covers for millennials – with extra storage for stuff 30-somethings typically tote around. Reusable straws, for instance.
STYLE EYE-CONS
Smart eyewear doesn’t have to be uncool, as evidenced by Gentle Monster’s collaboration with Huawei. The collection features two pairs of sunglasses and three pairs of optical glasses, and you’d never guess by looking at them that they boast features like directional speakers delivering a superior audio experience, intelligent noise reduction, and contactless, wireless charging. They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but this time, so are the brains.
