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When the ball boys hit the court to collect tennis balls during the U.S. Open in New York this week, their t-shirts will be tracking them.
The young men running up and down the court will be testing out Ralph Lauren’s newest wearable technology—shirts that monitor heart rate, breathing and stress levels, the New York Times reports.
Produced in collaboration with OMsignal, the biosensing shirts collect and distribute the information to software that can be displayed on a smartphone or computer. The black nylon-polyester blend shirts will feature the signature Ralph Lauren polo-pony logo, and mark a distinct transition for the company known for its expensive and preppy fashion.
“Everyone is exploring wearable tech watches and headbands and looking at cool sneakers,” David Lauren, the company's vice president for advertising, told the NYT. “We skipped to what we thought was new, which is apparel. We live in our clothes.”
OMsignal’s shirts, which start at $200, are expected to hit the market later this year. The shirts track body data by using silver conductive thread and a “black box” that monitors data and transmits it to an application.
It’s unclear when Ralph Lauren’s specialty shirts will be available for purchase, and how, or whether, they'll differ from the OMsignal designs that are now available for pre-order.
Fashion Meets Tech
As wearable technology slowly sheds its geeky stigma, fashion designers and high-profile brands are jumping on board to make smart tech sexy. Good thing, too, because unless wearables look good, fashion-conscious consumers are likely to shun their connected devices.
Ralph Lauren joins designers including Tory Burch, who partnered with FitBit to launch gorgeous wearables women want; DVF, which created desperately needed stylish frames for Google Glass; and Rachel Zoe, who created USB chargers in the form of unisex bracelets.
Marjz
annotated1+ month ago
A global luxury lifestyle brand and one of the premier names in American fashion, Diane von Furstenberg was founded in 1972 by the designer.
Marjz
annotated1+ month ago
Tory Burch is an American lifestyle brand that embodies the personal style and sensibility of its CEO and designer, Tory Burch. The collection, known for color, print and eclectic details, includes ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, accessories and beauty. Art, music, travel, interiors and the designer’s own stylish parents are inspirations for the collection.
Marjz
annotated1+ month ago
Ralph Lauren offers luxury men's and women's clothing, children's and baby clothes, home & bedding collections.
Marjz
annotated1+ month ago
Polo Ralph Lauren is the official outfitter of the US Open in New York and proud to be the first luxury lifestyle brand offer apparel that tracks and streams real-time biometric data directly to your smartphone or tablet.
Marjz
annotated1+ month ago
David Lauren is the youngest son of clothing designer, Ralph Lauren. Currently, he is the Executive Vice President of Advertising, Marketing and Corporate Communications of Ralph Lauren Corporation. In his latest tweet he introduces the Polo Tech Shirt.