Wearable Tech is Becoming a Reality

Wearable technology is one of those pipe dreams that everybody is always talking about, but no one actually wears. Let's be real: Google Glass doesn't even approach stylish. All that is about to change, however, because Intel (the largest and most valuable maker of semiconductor chips in the world), has teamed up with three major fashion names in one of the smartest wearable technology moves we've seen yet.

First partner: the Council of Fashion Designers of America, one of the leading fashion non-profits in the world. Second partner: Barneys New York, the luxury department store that you can't afford (though you totally dream about it). And here's the real frosting on top of the technological cupcake: Intel's third partner is none other than the ultra-hip brand Opening Ceremony, whose deconstructed menswear for fall 2014 so charmed us last month.

Brilliant move, Intel. In one fell swoop, these technology geeks managed to get the entire spectrum of fashion in their corner. They've got the well-connected, influential CFDA; they've got the luxury factor of Barneys (one per centers, you listening?); and perhaps most importantly of all, pairing up with Opening Ceremony gives them some of that much-needed cool kid cred. Because if the cool kids don't think your wearable tech is worthy, nobody's gonna buy it.

What's the forecast for this potentially brilliant partnership? All we know so far is that Intel and Opening Ceremony are collaborating on a smart bracelet (engineered by Intel, designed by Opening Ceremony), which will be available at Barneys. "This is an incredibly exciting and unique opportunity with Intel to bring our design vision to a wearable accessory that collides with Intel's state of the art innovation with fashion," says Carol Lim, co-founder of Opening Ceremony, in the press release. We don't know what the bracelet will look like — but its contours are certainly in good hands.

Also in the works: Intel plans to pair CFDA designers with their own technology developers in order to dream up new products. Public School designing the world's first smart leather jacket? Chills. We've got chills.

Image: Getty