It was revealed last week that Apple would be sponsoring the 2016 Met Gala, with Chief Design Officer Jony Ive serving as a co-chair for the event. Now, Ive, along with Vogue editor Anna Wintour, another Gala co-chair, and Costume Institute Curator Andrew Bolton, has sat down with The Wall Street Journal for an interview on Apple’s foray into the fashion industry.
Ive himself explained that Apple’s interest in the fashion industry has peaked recently thanks to the release of Apple Watch. Ive also teased that learning more about fashion, especially from other attendees of the Met Gala, will help Apple in defining potential future projects.
“As products become more personal, something that is worn on the wrist put us in the space of fashion,” Ive said. On the relationhip between fashion and tech, the theme of this year’s Met Gala, Ive said that it’s an issue that’s close to his heart. “These are issues close to our hearts,” the Apple executive remarked.. “Our understanding will temper and define future products we’re working on. We’re only starting.”
At Apple, Ive said there’s still very much a mix of antiquated and modern technology being used. Ive said that he still draws with a pencil and paper every day, but uses modern technology to enhance it.
Ive, Wintour, and Bolton also sat down with Mashable’s Christina Warren to discuss many of the same topics. One notable quote from Ive centered around how Apple worked to make Apple Watch as customizable as possible.
“What we designed was a system not a singular product. I think we found that by being able to change the strap, not just change the color but the design — and the designs change profoundly — that we could start to introduce a new look in combination with different watch faces and user interfaces. None of us want to wear the same thing. We strive to design things that are inevitable. What I’ve noticed is if something works but emotionally you don’t feel a connection — it’s ugly — you’ll use it, but you’ll use it begrudgingly and you’ll change at the first opportunity and you’ll build no relationship with the brand or the people behind it. And so you really have to be successful in both.”
The 2016 Met Gala, “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” all take place in New York on May 2nd.
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Hey Jony, don’t sponsor Met Gala, sponsor 64GB iPhones, and make 16GB ones disappear.
I think that’s a question for Phil Schiller.
Apple worries a little too much on desing now. “Lets meake a beautiful thin and light desing, then we will put whatever technology fits inside, even if it means removing half the components our customers use.”
Steve must be very proud, from wherever he is looking from.
As if they never did that when Steve was alive. Care to name all these components Apple is removing? Seems it would be hard for a computer to function if half its components were removed. ;-)
Hmm. The Met(ropolitan Museum of Art) is trying to pre-empt (that’s steal, Son!) its title. Everyone knows the real Met is the Met(ropolitan Opera) at Lincoln Center. No shortage of Apple Watches at both!
Beautiful Design is very important just like the features you get, while you have to look at that device many hours per day, it should be beautiful and amazing. It is a part of your look and the many brands that you wear or care about everyday.