Mobile electronics technology might be a game-changing thing for modern culture—after all, it’s turned vast portions of the population into people who mutter seemingly to themselves on street corners and any other locations, else walk zombie-like through the world immersed in their own portable media universe. Hurray for progress! But all those mobile gizmos and media players suffer from a few drawbacks: first, they aren’t necessarily the easiest devices to use while you’re driving, working, carrying groceries, or running errands. Second, they have an annoying tendency to run out of juice just when you need them most. How many times have your friends and colleagues complained they missed out on something important because their cell phone battery died?
Argentine clothing line Indarra DTX, from designer Julieta Gayoso, hopes to change that, offering stylish yet everyday clothing that integrates with modern mobile technology. Sure, upscale sports clothing outfits and a few others have tried to integrate iPod controls into clothing before—and it seems like you can’t buy a jacket these days without it sporting an “MP3 pocket”, but Indarra DTX is hoping to strike a middle ground, offering a high degree of functionality—and some pretty unique features—without going overboard or merely offering lip service to the technology.
For instance, Indarra DTX’s FV Module Jacket for men features in integrated solar panel on the back of the jacket that can be used to charge cellpones, MP3 players, and other electronics devices stashed in pockets with hidden charging plugs. (It’s 1250 Argentine pesos, or about $400 U.S. dollars). Similarly a touchpad jacket for women offers a flexible, touch-sensitive set of media controls on the left arm for controlling a media player stashed in a hidden pocket with out fumbling around with the device itself. Other products include a set of mans pans with an iPod-controlling (ahem) joystick, and a variety of garments made from alternative fibers and renewable resources.
Indarra DTX plans is working on a second clothing collection, and hopes to begin exporting products outside Argentina in 2009.
