LED-embedded fashion enables wearers to change the garments’ color

The Lume collection of clothing incorporates LEDs whose color can be controlled via a smartphone.

Fashions change as often as the wind, which can result in numerous outfits being left in the back of the wardrobe. Looking to make clothes more mutable to match the whims of the wearer, the Lume collection incorporates LEDs whose color can be controlled via a smartphone.

Created by the Jorge & Esther studio, the range includes a number of garments for women ranging from a tunic to a full sheath dress. Each piece features a floral neckline or back element that is embedded with LEDs to illuminate the design. The clothes connect wirelessly to the owner’s smartphone and a companion app enables them to alter the color of the LEDs, make them flash or shimmer and alter the speed of an effect. The idea is that users can customize their clothes to match the occasion, location, weather or their mood at any time. The LEDs can also be set to respond to sound. The technology is fully washable, meaning that no special treatment is required for the items, and when the LEDs aren’t in use the clothes look like simple black garments. The video below offers a demonstration of the collection:

Much like Refinity – the fabric ink that can be added and removed to garments as the wearer sees fit – the Lume collection could be another way to encourage consumers to hold onto their clothes longer than they would normally, benefiting the environment and reducing waste. How else can wearable tech enable greater customization of fashions?