LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW – Intel Corporation, Barneys New York*, the Council of Fashion Designers of America* and Opening Ceremony* today announced strategic collaborations to explore and bring to market smart wearable technology, and to increase dialogue and cooperation between the fashion and technology industries.
“The collaborations we announced today are indicative of Intel’s collective and conscious approach to the wearable market,” said Ayse Ildeniz, vice president, Business Development and Strategy of Intel’s New Devices Group. “Through these initiatives we will combine Intel’s leading technologies with Opening Ceremony’s design prowess, Barneys New York’s track record to identify the next consumer trends, and CFDA’s commitment to advance innovation within the fashion industry. Our shared vision is to accelerate wearable technology innovation and create products that both enhance peoples’ lives and are desirable to wear.”
As part of the collaborations, Intel and Opening Ceremony intend to collaborate in the design of a smart bracelet concept based on Intel technology with design direction from Opening Ceremony.
“Humberto and I have always allowed our curiosity to take us to uncharted waters. Since our early travels and shopping sprees in Asia, we've been keen on discovery,” said Carol Lim, co-owner of Opening Ceremony. “This is an incredibly exciting and unique opportunity with Intel to bring our design vision to a wearable accessory that collides with Intel's state of the art innovation with fashion. We are diving in to embark on a journey with Intel and can’t wait to see where it will take us. Intel is a company that has powered our lives in countless ways and now we get to be a part of shaping the 21st century with them.”
People’s experiences with a product starts with a first glance at where and how it is presented in the stores. Regarded as the mecca for discerning fashionistas, Barneys New York’s museum-like approach to merchandizing provides a unique opportunity to showcase thoughtfully designed wearable technologies. Barneys New York will carry the smart bracelet engineered by Intel and designed by Opening Ceremony.
“One of the greatest opportunities for wearable technology as a concept to be successful is fairly simple - to design a beautiful accessory that our customers would desire,” said Daniella Vitale, COO of Barneys New York. “It is exciting to be part of an elite group of brands to bring the reality of smart fashion to life. In collaboration with Intel, we are excited to announce that Barneys New York will be one of the first luxury retailers to merchandise a beautifully designed, smart accessory from Opening Ceremony.”
To scale the convergence of the two industries, Intel will work with CFDA to create a community for technology developers and fashion designers to network, match-make, cultivate and exchange ideas on wearable technology. The collaboration will connect more than 400 leading fashion designers who are members of CFDA with a broad ecosystem of hardware and software developers that Intel has been instrumental in building in the last 40 years.
“CFDA’s commitments are to drive innovation in the fashion industry and as we look at the power of technology and its influence on fashion, we believe technology will need to be part of the fashion industry’s DNA,” said Steven Kolb, CEO of CFDA. “That’s why we are excited to announce a strategic collaboration with Intel on wearable technology in which we can bring together unique strengths of the two industries -- Intel, a company that delivers technological innovation across computing devices, and our designers, who design beautiful clothing and accessories that people want to wear. The two together will be a powerful combination.”
“The collaborations we announced today will merge the expertise of two very distinct disciplines of technology and fashion, essential in realizing the vision of prolific adoption of wearable technology,” added Ildeniz. “Intel’s aim is to initiate sustainable, long-term cooperation between the technology and fashion worlds beginning with the today’s announcements.”
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.
About Barneys New York
BARNEYS NEW YORK (Barneys) is a luxury specialty retailer renowned for having the most discerning edit from the world’s top designers, including women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and gifts for the home. Barneys' signature sense of wit and style is manifested in its creative advertising campaigns, original holiday themes, and celebrated window displays. Founded as a men's retailer in 1923 in downtown Manhattan, it became an international arbiter of high style for both women and men in the 1970s, renowned for discovering and developing new and innovative design talent. Today, Barneys New York operates flagship stores in New York City, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Scottsdale along with a preeminent luxury online store, Barneys.com, as well as 25 other stores and outlets across the United States. For more information about Barneys New York, please visit www.Barneys.com and explore its luxury content site, The Window, for an insider's look into the Barneys world: a behind-the-scenes visit with exciting designers, fashion, events, and the Barneys team.
About Council of Fashion Designers of America
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc, (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association founded in 1962 that leads industry-wide initiatives and whose membership consists of more than 400 of America’s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry, and accessory designers. In addition to hosting the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, which recognize the top creative talent in the industry, the organization offers programs which support professional development and scholarships, including the CFDA {Fashion Incubator}, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholar Award, the Liz Claiborne Scholarship Award and the CFDA/Teen Vogue Scholarship. Member support is provided through the Business Services Network, a high-profile group of companies offering designers strategic opportunities. The CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate, not-for-profit organized to mobilize the membership to raise funds for charitable causes. Through the Foundation, the CFDA created and manages the worldwide Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative; raises funds for HIV/AIDS organizations with events such as Fashion’s Night Out and 7th on Sale and addresses the issue of model health with The CFDA Health Initiative.
For more information, please visit www.CFDA.com, facebook.com/cfda, twitter.com/cfda, cfda.tumblr.com, and youtube.com/cfdatv
About Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony was founded in September 2002 in New York by Carol Lim and Humberto Leon—with the idea of bringing their love of travel and fashion to a concept boutique. The company has grown to encompass several retail outlets in New York, Los Angeles, London and Tokyo, and the Opening Ceremony ready-to-wear, accessories and footwear collections for men and women. Opening Ceremony has also become known for its myriad innovative collaborations, including with style icon Chloë Sevigny and filmmaker Spike Jonze. The company operates a wholesale showroom in New York representing over 20 international and domestic brands. In 2009, Opening Ceremony launched its first e-commerce website and blog at openingceremony.us, with over 4,000,000 unique visitors per month.
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