Team Tinsel at MAGIC and Wearable Tech Expo

This week team Tinsel attended MAGIC in Las Vegas. MAGIC is the word's largest fashion marketplace event, held twice annually, and is the epicenter for showcasing the greatest in apparel, accessories, footwear, and manufacturing.

We arrived armed with two "looks like-works like" prototypes of The Dipper audio necklace, ready to show it off to the crowd, give demos, gather feedback and more!

Here's a few highlights from the week:

The Dipper Prototype II

We couldn't wait to test out our first functioning prototype, as our first prototype was purely cosmetic and didn't yet have the audio functionality built into the necklace. This time we had working prototypes in both color options, gold and gunmetal, and we were able to do some heavy usability testing all week. We made/received phone calls, rocked out to music, used it with voice apps on our phones and even tested it out on our laptops!

Attending Seminars at MAGIC

Attending seminars is a big component of MAGIC. Historically the seminars at MAGIC are centered solely around fashion, upcoming trends and manufacturing. This was the first year they had a dedicated portion of the MAGIC floor segmented to wearable technology! Additionally, a lot of the seminars were dedicated to innovations in wearable technology and particularly bridging the gap between fashion and tech.

Meeting Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere

A highlight of the week for our Head of Marketing, Tiffany, was meeting Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere, a very prominent fashion and lifestyle blogger who gave a talk on her journey from blogging as a hobby, to partnering with well-known brands such as Coach and Club Monaco, to now launching her very own fashion line. Psst, can you spot The Dipper (shown in gunmetal grey) in this pic??

Aniyia and Tiffany Give a Panel Discussion at Wearable Tech Expo

While in Las Vegas for MAGIC, we were also panelists at the Wearable Tech Expo and gave a talk called "Elegant Lifestyle Meets Relevant Technology" along with Founder and CEO, Dr. Gerald J. "Jerry" Wilmink and VP of Research, David Elam, both from WiseWear. The panel discussion was centered around what it takes to blend fashion and technology to create innovative and appealing wearable accessory products, specifically in women's jewelry. We had a great time being on the panel and were honored to be alongside a fellow women's tech jewelry brand!

Jerry from WiseWear Donning The Dipper Audio Necklace

WiseWear had some kind words to say about us as well! In fact, Jerry couldn't wait to try on The Dipper necklace (shown in gold) following the end of our panel! Jerry, we think you look great!

Hotel Accommodations at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Last, but certainly not least, can we #humblebrag about our stay at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, because it was, in a word, AMAZING. We loved the unique, contemporary style juxtaposed with old-timey artwork and decor touches, making for a very appealing aesthetic.

It also worked out perfectly for business needs, as our rooms included desks and tables perfect our nightly de-brief meetings and catching up on work. Not to mention the hotel had several great dining and bar options for us to enjoy yummy meals and well deserved cocktails after each exhilarating, but long day. Did we mention it was 110° outside all week?

We had an absolutely fabulous week at MAGIC and the Wearable Tech Expo. It was great to connect and learn with like-minded people in our industry. The fashion tech industry has many exciting things to come and we're THRILLED to be a part of it!