If you’ve been skeptical about the Apple Watch, you’re not alone; it essentially functions as a iPhone on your wrist (which, um, is totally cool?), so we can understand your hesitation. But bare with us cause Apple Watches just teamed up with Oscar de la Renta to be totally chic.
Let’s go back to the day they announced the iPad, shall we? I don’t know if you remember, but there was a lot of mocking going on. “An iPad?!” the Internet exclaimed, “What a terrible name? Who needs a giant iPhone anyway? We have our computers!”
The Internet was not so sold on it but now iPads are a common piece of tech incorporated in everything from schools to businesses to ordering food at a restaurant. iPads are awesome.
When the Apple Watch was released, there seemed to be a similar reaction among consumers. What would they possible need a watch that had the same capabilities as a phone for? A year later, smart-watches are quickly becoming just as commonplace, with more and more companies adopting the idea of wearable tech. Wearable tech and smart-watches can do so much more than what your phone can do, all in the portable form of a wristwatch.
And Apple just came up with one cool new feature to gets us fashionistas feeling like maybe we need one after all.
Firstly, Apple just released the Apple Watch 2 and lowered the price; plus, they released new wristbands—even teaming up with Hermes—to make it a little more fashion forward.
They’ve also teamed up with Oscar de la Renta and de Young Museum in San Francisco.
de Young is currently displaying some gorgeous, gorgeous gowns by de la Renta for the Oscar de la Renta Retrospective and you can be guided through the whole thing using an app on your Apple Watch. While tour-guides are not a new invention at museums and galleries, one that’s conducted on your Apple Watch certainly is.
Especially when the people guiding you through it are Andre Leon Talley and de la Renta himself.
Using Guidekick, an interactive app for historical sites in the Bay Area, visitors can walk through the exhibition and learn insights straight from the source by listening to a guided tour on their watch. Your Apple watch will buzz each time you arrive at a new gown, alerting you to check in. You will then be schooled on the inspirations behind each gown and you can listen to further commentary with your headphones (remember to respect those around you!).
The Oscar de la Renta exhibit is currently one of five on display at the de Young Museum that incorporates the Guidekick app. Individual tours can be purchased through the app (the Oscar de la Renta tour is $6) and it is currently only available for iOS, but an Android version is on its way.
Needless to say, this is one way to get wearables in front of the most fashion forward people; make the wearable provide fashion content. It’s really a no brainer.
Let’s also remember this for the next time we laugh at an Apple invention.
(We’re sorry, iPad, okay?)
Diana Pasgas is a writer & social media addict. She is kind of short & is often seen wearing red lipstick. She’s also a grey sweater enthusiast. In her spare time she enjoys playing the ukulele & searching for new brunch spots.
