Fitbit launches pre-sale for Public School stylish accessories
Fitbit’s activity-tracking bands are designed for health and fitness, but the company is trying hard to make them look more fashionable. As part of this effort, earlier this year they announced a partnership with New York fashion house Public School. The highly anticipated accessory collection is now available for pre-sale on Fitbit’s website, and will begin shipping globally in November.
The creative duo Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow revealed some of the early concepts at the Public School Autumn/Winter 2016 Women’s Collection runway show during New York Fashion Week. The images in this article give a flavour of the new designs.
Essential reading: Fitbit Alta – our take on the new activity tracker
You can find a range of stylish accessories that will help Fitbit’s Alta activity tracker blend in and stand out. The new design aesthetic take advantage of easily interchangeable accessory bands featured on the Alta fitness tracker.
“One of my favorite things about PUBLIC SCHOOL’s designs is the range—they mix sportswear and tailoring, pair high and low with ease, and present as both upscale and edgy,” said Eugene Tong, stylist for PUBLIC SCHOOL shows.
“The unexpected marriage of PUBLIC SCHOOL’s aesthetic with Fitbit’s innovative technology brings that unique range of style to people in a way that will help fit fitness into their daily lives and provide them with an exciting opportunity to coordinate technology to personal style, mood and activities.”
This is not Fitbit’s first partnership aimed at bringing fashion to its line of wearables. In 2014, it launched a line with designer Tory Burch. Public School is, however, likely to bring more of an edge and attitude to its previous designs.
“Public School’s approach of bringing the street aesthetic to the runway combined with Fitbit’s mission to fit fitness into your daily life produced an authentic, integrated collaboration with a strong mutual vision,” Tim Rosa, Vice President of Global Marketing at Fitbit said earlier this year.
“The result is a collection of unique design concepts for Fitbit Alta that share a focus on accessibility, function and versatility for everyday life…”
Public School for Fitbit Alta styles include the Axis Accessory Band which is the more pricy option retailing for $295. The Alta tracking module fits horizontally into the hand-polished band creating a wearable that resembles a watch. The Paracord Bracelet ($175) is designed as a nod to parachute cord. This is rugged braided black bracelet with custom gunmetal hardware and a metal clasp. In 2017, Fitbit will also launch the WNL Print Band and Quill Print Band that feature Public School’s brand mantra “When Nobody’s Looking” and signature feather.
Essential reading: Choosing the right Fitbit tracker
In addition to Fitbit’s website, the accessories will soon be available at select global and North American retailers, including Bloomingdale’s, Hudson’s Bay Company, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue.
This is part of a push by Fitbit to capture a broader market of wearables, to which fashion is important. Although it is the global leader in wearables sales at the moment, Fitbit risks losing customers if it doesn’t keep pace with its competitors in terms of looks.
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