Is Apple Watch A Fashion Statement Or A Tech Gadget

Both my boyfriend and I bought an Apple watch this summer. But I bought it because I am a “chic”；he bought it because he is a geek. I don’t know how Apple makes its smart watch better than others tech wise, but I do know how it makes its watch a fashion icon.

Elegant Design

First, Apple designs the watch from a fashion point of view. Drawing lessons from jewelry design, Apple applies 18-Karat yellow and rose gold to its Apple Watch Edition watchcase, giving the gadget an exquisite and elegant taste.

Apple also creates a full range of bands in stainless steal, leather and synthetic rubber for us to make the watch personal. I bought six different bands to match my different outfit styles. A different brand can instantly change the look of the watch.

For example, when I go to office, I always choose the black leather one, because it makes me look professional. But when I hang out with friends at night, I would switch it to the red sport band because that makes me feel more casual.

Fashion Media

For me, I would say fashion media even plays a bigger role than the design itself in building my interests in Apple Watch. I didn’t consider Apple Watch as a fashion piece until I saw its debut on the cover of Vogue China last November.

At the moment I saw supermodel Liu Wen wearing this, I instantly knew that I wanted it even I was not a tech-savvy person. Because I wanted to be cool, hip and young, and this product was going to make me look like that way. And I was sure that this watch was going to become a go-to accessory for many trendsetters in the fashion world.

Angelica Cheung, the chief editor of Vogue China, held the same opinion as mine. She went to Apple Watch’s launch event last September and credited Apple Watch as a great product that would heavily influence our young generation.

“I think younger generation will be willing to try [it],” Cheung said. “Apple Watch isn’t designed for people to check time, but to enjoy a more convenient and modern life. Its beautiful, elegant appearance will help it match very well with fashion. It sets off a new ‘techno luxury’ trend and bridges high-tech with fashion.”

Apple Watch also got a lot of publicities from other popular fashion media outlets, such as Style.com and Luxury Daily, fashion bloggers and celebrities.

Collaboration with Fashion Brand

Another smart strategy used by Apple Watch to tie itself with fashion is to build partnership with well-established fashion brands. For example, Apple Watch collaborated with French leather goods house Hermes to come up with the Apple Watch Hermes , which went on sale on Oct.5 and was Apple’s most luxury-focused wearable yet.

Apple will also sponsor the 2016 Met Gala with a theme called “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” and its Chief Design Officer Jony Ive will even co-host the event with Taylor Swift and Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour.

Meanwhile, Apple has hired executive staffers with roots in fashion house, such as its head of retail, Angela Ahrendts, a former Burberry’s CEO, to grow its fashion expertise.

Through all of these efforts, Apple has built a closer relationship with fashion market, especially luxury market. This trend seems to continue and we’ll see how Apple is growing to be a game changer in fashion industry.