Monday morning, Opening Ceremony founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon were joined by Intel’s Ayse Ildeniz and Barneys’ Tomoko Ogura in a conversation moderated by Lucky Magazine’s Eva Chen about the pair’s collaborative smart bracelet MICA (My Intelligent Communication Accessory.) The conference addressed MICA’s functions, the collaborative process, and the future of wearable technology.
As explained in a video starring Rashida Jones, MICA is designed for women on the go. The device enables users to stay connected by displaying SMS messages, Facebook and Google notifications, events, and meeting alerts directly (and discreetly) on the user’s wrist. It also comes equipped with Yelp and TomTom capabilities so users can navigate their surroundings with ease.
Where other wearables have been criticized for their bulky and unappealing designs, MICA’s semi-precious stones, snakeskin band, and 1.6-inch sapphire touch screen make it almost indistinguishable from a traditional bracelet. “In what had been on the market before, form hadn’t really taken the lead,” Humberto explained. “So to partner with Intel on this level, really focus on the design of it, was a really exciting thing for us.”
“We feel like we’re just at the starting point with wearable technology. Even with the MICA itself and its updates, I think it’ll get even that much cooler not too long from now,” Humberto told i-D after the conference. “Carol and I are very much fans of where technology in general can go and what it can mean to us in our lives. We’re super excited to see how we can put our hands into other things in the future.”
MICA retails for $495 and will be available by early December exclusively in the US at Opening Ceremony, select Barneys locations, and online at openingceremony.us and barneys.com.
Credits
Text Emily Manning
Photography Collier Schorr for Opening Ceremony and Intel