The latest designer accessory isn’t a Louis Vuitton purse or Chanel suit. According to Carol Umhoefer and Caroline Chance in a story on DLA Piper’s Re: Marks on Copyright and Trademark blog, wearable technologies are booming: from an estimated $3 to $5 billion in 2013 to $42 billion between 2016 and 2018, which means “wearable technologies could be the next must-have,” the authors said.
One reason for the increase in popularity is the fact the devices are getting a lot trendier. “Until recently, wearable technologies’ functionalities still outsized (and overwhelmed) their fashion flair,” said the authors. One example is Google Glass, which has been redesigned by Isabelle Olsson to make the eyewear more fashionable. Other tech brands are collaborating with already famous fashion brands, such as Fitbit partnering with luxury house Tory Burch on a necklace and bracelet. And then there are the poachers. Apple recently brought Yves Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve and Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts on board, said Umhoefer and Chance.
