Technology is the future for many industries, and for those who dream of working in fashion, the prospects are even more exciting.
With so many innovations and technological advances coming to light every week, it’s no wonder that careers in technology are so plentiful.
Indeed, while some jobs might change or become non-existent due to technology, many more jobs in software development and data science are emerging.
With the future of work firmly placed in the hands of technology in one way or another, does that mean we should all abandon our dream jobs and head to greener pastures in the world of heavy coding, machine learning and big data?
On the contrary, technology is not sprouting up thousands of jobs in its own field only to beckon us over. Instead, it is amalgamating itself into our dream career tracks, and bringing the new jobs to us. All we have to do is find them.
In that vein, those who dream of working in fashion can rejoice, as this particular industry is in the middle of a technological revolution.
Fashion tech is becoming a strong sector for jobs. Depending on where your strengths lie, there’s plenty of opportunities to go around.
Whether you’re a tech whizz interested in fashion or a budding designer, these five areas of fashion tech are worth noting.
Working with wearables
The wearables industry is still hitting scorching heights with an annual growth of 25pc, with fitness trackers being the main driver behind the strong sales.
However, it might not stay that way for long, as Snap’s Spectacles are now available in Europe.
With more companies looking towards the wearable market, it is becoming increasingly important that these products are stylish enough to wear. On the more technical side of things, wearables have to hit the customer demand in the right place. While fitness trackers are currently doing well, smartwatches are on the downturn.
Fashion app creator
From Instagram to Pinterest, there have been plenty of aspirational apps that have given the fashionistas of the world excuses to marvel over clothes and accessories. But what if we can’t instantly click and buy the outfit we are looking at?
On that note, there is huge scope for software developers and designers to create and work on apps that will make shopping and styling easier.
High-tech fashion design
Do you want to be the next Marc Jacobs or Vera Wang? You’re not limited to fabric anymore, as fashion tech has hit the international catwalks and high-street shops.
From sports fanatics being able to ‘feel’ how their favourite team feels via high tech jerseys from Wearable Experiments, to high-heel addicts getting their hands on a pair of technologically designed stilettos that are actually comfortable, high-tech fashion is the way of the future. It just needs budding designers to create it.
Fashion data scientist
We already know that data science is one of the hottest jobs in tech right now. Therefore, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the hottest jobs in fashion tech, too.
So, for the data scientists among you who want to be at the forefront of fashion, you can use statistical machine learning and other quantitative methods to gain insights into consumer behaviour.
As a data scientist in the fashion industry, you will be able to deliver better recommendations to consumers and, in turn, bigger margins to your organisation.
3D printing for fashion
One of the most challenging and costly aspects of creating fashion is the manufacturing process. However, with the advancements in technology, and 3D printing in particular, this is beginning to change.
Major fashion houses such as Chanel are experimenting with designs that would not be possible without 3D printing.
However, keep in mind that working as a 3D printing engineer in fashion requires creative vision as well as technological capabilities.
