MasterCard has partnered with fashion designer Adam Selman to create better looking wearable tech

1 months ago

Wearable technology in the shape of smartwatches, fitness trackers and virtual reality headsets have already pushed their way into the mainstream, but now fashion designers are getting involved to add more style to these modern devices.

MasterCard has announced a partnership with fashion designer Adam Selman – a man who has dressed Rihanna in the past – to create a range of consumer products that also double as mobile payment solutions.

In the last year, contactless payment has made the jump from debit and credit cards into smartphones thanks to the likes of Apple Pay and upcoming solutions Android Pay and Samsung Pay. On top of that, Barclaycard has expanded its bPay contactless solution into a wristband, key fob and sticker.

They’ve also partnered with fashion brand Lyle & Scott to create a contactless jacket – which has a special slot in the sleeve for a mobile payment chip.

So the idea isn’t completely alien on this side of the Atlantic, but MasterCard is keen on expanding on the idea, and has assigned Selman the task of creating some new products.

Selman is one of a number of partners MasterCard has signed up to the programme, with General Motors, wearable technology maker Nymi, jewelry company Ringly, and Bluetooth locator TrackR also on board.

The designer already has prototypes of two dresses, gloves, sunglasses and a handbag, all embedded with mobile payment chips, with more expected in the future.

“Technology is vital to the fashion industry,” said Selman.

“What sets the programme apart is that it features the technology, while still remaining invisible, yet interactive and totally functional with the wearer.”

Indeed fashion and technology have been getting a lot more closely linked over the last year or so, especially the Apple Watch – which has been on-sale in fashion boutiques, as well as appearing on the cover of the Chinese edition of Vogue.

So keep an eye out for those mobile payment sunglasses over the next year or so – though tapping in and out on the Underground with them could be an interesting experience.