Tommy Hilfiger's big idea for smart clothing is to reward you for wearing it
This isn't the smart clothing of the future, but it does complete a feedback loop: Tommy Hilfiger's new Tommy Jeans Xplore line will reward customers for wearing the product.
The clothing has an embedded Bluetooth smart tag that can connect with the companion iOS app (sorry Android users) for tracking. The smart tag is encrypted and collects product usage, location, and time — essentially what piece of clothing you're wearing and the given location you're wearing it. Consumers have to opt into the app and turn on the tag to get the full experience.
Mashable has reached out to both Awear Solutions, the company behind the tech, and Tommy Hilfiger to learn more about what the tag is explicitly tracking.
By wearing the product and using the application, users will earn points that can be used to redeem rewards. Another way to earn points is to collect "Tommy Hearts" from a map, which doesn't sound as fun as Pokèmon Go. Rewards range from gift certifications to in-person experiences like fashion show tickets along with airfare and accommodations. But those are stretch goals — most users will rack up enough points for Live Nation gift cards and monogrammed clothing.
The Tommy Jeans Xplore collection does have some higher-end prices, but they don’t reach astronomical levels. The men’s styles cost around $39.50 for a t-shirt, $99.50 for a hoodie, and $99.50 for jeans. Women’s styles are similar at $99.50 for jeans or a denim skirt, $39.50 for t-shirts, and $139.95 for a denim ‘trucker’ jacket.
Unlike Google’s Project Jacquard denim jacket, these clothes don’t provide useful features such as a touchpad in the sleeve or gesture support. Instead, Tommy Hilfiger wants to create a micro-community of brand ambassadors by getting people to wear their clothes in public.
If you’re a big fan of Tommy Hilfiger, I guess it makes sense to look at this new line as you can get free-ish stuff just for wearing it. But it's essential to keep in mind what data is being collected. While Awear Solutions does remove any identifying data, you're... still being tracked.
And that means the clothing line might be too smart for its own good.
