GTX Corp has developed the  GPS Shoe, a pair of sneakers embedded with GPS technology that allow caregivers to track patients via a computer or smartphone.

Source: Nextweb

Catalytic Clothing, a collaboration between the London College of Fashion, University of Sheffield, and the University of Ulster, has recently presented the first prototype of a dress that can purportedly absorb airborne pollutants. A thin layer of space-age, pollution-absorbing concrete mixture is sprayed onto the “Herself” dress. Wearing the dress automatically means that you are helping to save the environment, simply by walking around and being fashionable!

However, the “Herself” dress is highly experimental and is only inteded to illustrate – in artistic form – the idea that textiles can help eliminate certain pollutants from the air. Unfortunately, it is doubtful that an actual, wearable version of the dress will be made.

Check out the dress here!

The university is researching ways to weave energy-transmitting yarn into ready-to-wear material. So far, the scientists have discovered a way to create energy generating textiles from powder-infused carbon nanotubes. The nanotubes in use will be able to support superconducting particles, such as magnesium powder, with a more manageable form without binders or lasers. If the scientists are successful, this energy-transmitting yarn could be fashioned into lightweight batteries you can wear. This concept of wearable batteries that look like regular clothing would mean that you no longer have to search for a power outlet could and look fashionable at the same time!

Read more on Ecouterre and Inhabitat!

Sources: PSFK, Yeonju Sung

Last week, the WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit Conference took place in New York city. One of the speakers was Jack Nickell, the founder and chief strategy officer of ‘crowdsourced’ fashion brand Threadless. During the conference, he talked about the importance of the online community on their website.

Nickell talked about how Threadless is about celebrating their community’s work and that this should be reflected across the brand. According to PSFK, he said that “the reason they haven’t partnered with large retailers is that they can’t tell the story behind the tees in the same way they can on their own site”.

Nickell also stated that user voting was vital because of the impact it has on building the community. He said: “It is more valuable to have a user score a design than have them buy a tee.”

Read about it here!

Shoppers visiting Macy’s Herald Square store in New York through November of this year are in for a surprise! Macy’s and LBi have re-invented the dressing room experience by using augmented reality, app technology and social media.

The dressing booths are equipped with a 72-inch multi-touch mirror and an iPad. The customer selects clothing from the iPad application and transfers the items on their body’s image on the mirror. And there’s more! While shopping, customers can easily upload photos of themselves in their new outfits to social networking sites (using e-mails or SMS). This allows them to get live feedback from their friends with a flick of the wrist.

Want to know more? Read the full article at http://www.psfk.com/2010/10/macys-rethinks-the-fitting-room-experience.html

Check out the remarkable footwear of Kobi Levi here.

And it is possible. In East London, I CAN make Shoes - an initiative of Australian shoe designer Amanda Luisa – organises 3-day workshops for amateurs, like me, that dream of making their own pair of killer shoes and take them back home afterwards.

Source: I CAN make shoes