Imagine the scene at a fashion show: Everyone is busy with their smartphones. Be it Instagraming a celeb in the front row, updating Facebook with a snap of a runway look or Tweeting running updates of the show, technology and fashion is now ubiquitous. In fact, it’s tough to remember a time before technology became a part of the fashion world.
Well, New York-based designer Vivienne Tam (left) has fully embraced technology. She has already designed a range of Hewlett Packard netbook computers and Monster earphones, so it was no surprise when Tam announced a collaboration with the social communications app Wechat for her Autumn Winter 2014 runway show.
Vivienne Tam X Wechat
Wechat is very much part of Tam’s personal and work life, we learn through an email interview with the designer. She said, “I use the app to connect with the public, my friends and business partners whenever possible. It allows people to take a glimpse of my world.
“I wanted to reach out to more people and share my designers instantly,” explained Tam about the motivation behind this collaboration and how this was a medium that would allow people to go further in-depth in how she developed her collection. “It’s also a great way for users to see the pre- and post-show. What better way to do it than with Wechat, the all-inclusive platform.”
Behind the scenes at the Vivienne Tam Autumn Winter 2014 show
Connecting with the world through technology
Whether or not they were able to attend the Vivienne Tam Autumn Winter 2014 show at the recent New York fashion week, fashionistas from all around the world could download the free app. By adding “Vtamfashion” as a contact, they entered Tam’s world through exclusive updates and the chance to participate in a real-time group chat during the show.
A look from the Vivienne Tam Autumn Winter 2014 collection
Through this novel way of interaction, fans of the brand received behind-the-scenes photos, audio messages from the designer and even close ups of the collection. “I’m able to reach out to more people quicker and promote the beauty of the Dunhuang caves (the source of inspiration for her Autumn Winter 2014 collection) to the world at the same time,” elaborated the designer.
While Tam kept mum on tech collaborations in the pipeline, she was very optimistic about the future of merging fashion and technology, saying, “I hope to see more fashionable wearable tech products that don’t only look great but enhances people’s lives!”
For more information, go to viviennetam.com/ and www.wechat.com/en/. Follow the brand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/viviennetamnyc and Twitter @VivienneTam.