In an exclusive partnership, textile technology innovators Telekom, AlphaTauri and Schoeller are launching the Heatable Capsule Collection.
The three companies and combining their core competencies together to form a smart alliance against the cold. While Telekom brings its technological components to the table, AlphaTauri designed the collection and Schoeller developed the heating technologies and fabrics, as well as the electronic components.
The Heatable Capsule Collection kicks off with a jacket and a gilet in two colorways. Wearers decide the level of warmth for themselves in the jacket or gilet. The clothing items are operated by app, allowing wearers to heat individual zones around the pocket and kidney areas.
The collection, for men and women, targets the lifestyle and technology-oriented consumer segment–the so-called “urban explorer.” The apparel is cross-seasonal, suitable for all cooler types of weather, and practical when travelling, hiking or for other sports.
The partially heatable gilet can be worn alone or under a jacket. The ideal “feel-good” temperature can be selected from two heating levels in the jacket and gilet.
Thanks to Schoeller E-Soft-Shell heating technology, the heat function is completely integrated into the fabric and localized as close as possible to the body. Beyond that, the inbuilt sensors can measure the microclimate temperature inside the jacket.
“We are proud to have made a significant contribution to the functionality of the collection with our ESoft-Shell heating technology and our innovative textiles and technologies,” Siegfried Winkelbeiner, CEO of Schoeller Textil AG, said. “For Schoeller, smart textiles are a strategic focus for an exciting textile future. For us, the cooperation was a great learning experience and our first opportunity to provide the heating technology for a commercial product.”
The jacket is already being further developed with additional features, where connectivity and artificial intelligence will become increasingly relevant.
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The Heatable Capsule Collection was created as part of Telekom’s Fashion Fusion Program. Whereas in the past, the emphasis had been on the sponsorship of talent in the development of innovative prototypes in cooperation with a variety of events, in 2019 the company took on the development of market-ready products.
“We want to offer customers products with genuine added value,” Antje Hundhausen, founder of Telekom Fashion Fusion and vice president of brand experience at Telekom, said. “On the path to being a digital lifestyle brand, we are continually working on the improvement of individual lifestyles.
“The Heatable Capsule Collection is a beginning, to revolutionize fashion through technology,” Hundhausen said. “It makes the day to day–regardless of weather–more comfortable and makes fashion more interesting. The 5G technology will be capable of networking everything in the next few years, creating opportunities for fascinating uses. Because even fashion can profit from technology.”
The Heatable Capsule Collection will be available online from AlphaTauri and Telekom, as well as in AlphaTauri stores and from selected retailers for the Fall-Winter season. The jackets and gilets are available in sizes small to XXL for men and extra small to XL for women and cost 699.90 euros ($780) for the jacket and 399.90 euros ($446) for the gilet.