Fashion Icon, Iris Apfel becomes the face of wearable safety gear

94-year-old fashionista Iris Apfel is out with her own range of stylish wearable technology at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Apfel collaborated with WiseWear, which makes safety bracelets that could alert your emergency contact with the help of blutooth.  This unique amalgamation of technology and style attracted Apfel so much that she personally insisted on designing new pieces for WiseWear.

“Aside from measuring other things, it does put you in immediate touch if you are at risk. That I think is fantastic, not only for older people but also a lot of young people. And the idea that you’ll be able to do it in a handsome piece of jewellery is great,” cited Apfel in Fast Company.

Also Read: Phones to panic buttons for women’s safety

Apfel has never delved into this space where technology meets fashion. But she was intrigued by the idea and hence gave it a shot. She highly thinks that wearable technology is generally hideous and makes one look like they “run around in sweatpants.”

Designed by a man called Wilmink, the device is both for elderly people and young women who require safety. It has only come out in Socialite collections and has three different varieties- The Calder, The Kingston and The Duchess. Just like normal wearable technologies they track fitness and provide mobile notification, but unlike others the bangle send emergency signals to your immediate contacts in case something goes wrong.

“It’s a safety device for women," Wilmink says. "Imagine a woman is at an event and leaves late at night, walks into a dark parking lot, and someone unusual comes up. She can tap the bracelet three times, and it sends a distress message to loved ones with her location. They know exactly where she is," affirmed Wilmink, reported Fast Company.

With this awesome technology, Apfel gave the twist of her high fashion taste, which only makes it more wearable. “There is a definite need for this because there are a lot of people who won’t run around doing business looking like they are going to the gym,” Apfel told Mashable. She hinted that belt buckles and necklaces might also be in the pipeline of her designs.

Picture Credit- Gleest