7 wearable technologies that fits everyday fashion (and 5 that really can’t)

New technologies and fashion often go hand in hand, and inspire each other. As a result, it is becoming increasingly common to find highly technological clothing or fashion accessories that fulfil both an aesthetic and a practical function. It's one of the great promises of scientific anticipation that seems to be being fulfilled. However, not all technologies are suited to fashion. We've seen many initially promising objects fail miserably for a variety of reasons. In this article, we present seven wearable technologies that are fully integrated into everyday fashion, and five others that have been less successful.

Long promised by science fiction, smart, connected glasses are finally here! Models such as Ray-Ban Stories or Google Glass incorporate technologies for filming, sound recording, search and even an AI personal assistant, all in aesthetically pleasing, discreet eyewear that can be worn every day.

we already knew about pocket heaters, but the textile industry has recently innovated with electrically heated jackets like those from Levi's and Uniqlo. Battery-operated, these jackets keep warm even in the coldest weather, while remaining lightweight, which explains their great success.

smart backpacks allow you to take your belongings with you on a daily basis, while enjoying a range of functions. These include recharging devices via a USB port connected to an integrated power bank, and real-time tracking of the bag, all in modern, elegant designs. What's more, these bags are generally waterproof and robust.

Virtual reality headsets promised to enable users to work in a virtual universe all day long, without cutting themselves off from reality. This promise was over-optimistic, as demonstrated by the failure of numerous models, notably Apple's. These headsets are too bulky, unobtrusive and of little real use.

portable fridges were almost fashionable, because they could be carried like a bag and kept drinks and meals fresh all day long. But the fact that they took up too much space and had little autonomy meant that we hardly ever saw them on our streets.

lEDs are a lighting technology that consumes very little energy, heats up very little and can be included in flexible devices. All the conditions seemed right for LEDs to be integrated into everyday outfits. However, their overly conspicuous appearance had other ideas.

aI-enabled wearable gadgets such as the Humane AI Pin launched in 2024 have been a big flop. They were considered too intrusive and of little use. They generated little interest and were eventually forgotten without ever having been fashionable.

in 2022, Dyson launched a strange headset with an air-purifying mask. The technology promised to let you breathe clean, fresh air in even the most polluted cities while listening to your music. The object's high volume and bizarre appearance made it a major flop.