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Photo: Kamal Narang

Techno bling It is the women who are taken in by embellishments more than men

Welcome to the world where fashion ranks above function! Techno Bling gadgets are what we manufacture, desire and finally own these days. Whether it is the crystal beaded charm on your mobile phone or your mobile phone itself, say the (cutting edge!) Nokia Prism that’s been selling like hot cakes, the trend of marrying hi-fashion to technology has begun to create waves the world over. If you thought being tech savvy was all that mattered, think again. You might feel the need to recheck your fashion quotient as well.

What really is the funda behind this powerfully emerging trend?

Business Management student Abhimannue Srikishan says: “A gadget is an extension of one’s personality. Therefore, although personally I feel function precedes fashion, a lot of others believe that fashion has come to be a decisive factor as far as gadgets are concerned.”

Consider the Bluetooth headset for instance. It is undeniably one of the biggest leaps in the field of technology. The concept of the periodically flashing blue light and the fact that the innovation is meant to be worn over the ear only confirms the immense potential of techno bling.

Ezra Kanavalli, another student, asserts: “It’s all about making impressions. Considering the price range of these trendy gizmos, we can conclude that the gadget itself becomes a status symbol of sorts.”

He goes on to provide an example. “If we look closely at automobiles, we realise that modifying cars by adding alloys, rims, mufflers and filters enhances the looks as well as the performance of the car, a perfect case of style marrying technology!”

Those were the days when we would dedicate half our living room space to the big and bulky idiot box! Now with the invention of the plasma TV, life for many seems more luxurious and less complex than ever before. Then of course we aren’t alien to the features of hi-tech laptops. “As soon as I saw the Sony VAIO ad, I decided I must have it,” confesses Suprithi Bhatia, a fine arts teacher. “The colour, the sleekness and the overall appearance are attention grabbers,” she adds.

Does this mean that fashion has become the USP of gadgets today?

“Quite so,” agrees Abhimannue. “But we must remember that it’s all about fashion only when technology of a gadget has reached its saturation point,” he says.

When the iPod became famous for its relatively complex standard of technology, manufacturers would have decided to shift focus and would have then capitalized mostly on the looks, without allowing the technological standard to fall, obviously. This in all probability is only just a common natural phenomenon!

Ask designer Tanvi Gupta what she has to say about fashion playing the lead role in the making of gadgets, and she replies spontaneously, “Apart from people becoming fashion conscious today, the fat salaries and high bank balances enable them to purchase the latest techno bling in the market. I was surfing the internet recently when I found out that a particular laptop comes with a bag that has on it a rectangular display that indicates whether the laptop has connectivity or not, all this without having to take the laptop out of the bag!” exclaims Bhushan, an advertising professional.

When we talk about techno bling, it is important to analyse who the primary customers are. As far as purchase of trinkets and charms for mobile phones are concerned, Sidharaju, a dealer, says: “It is mainly the youngsters who are enthusiastic to pick up these little decorative pieces.” Antara Bhima, a housewife, is of the same opinion but adds that “it is the female population that goes in for miniature embellishments that they add to their average looking phones. Men usually do not adorn their phones but on the contrary buy smart looking phones.”

Soso of Swarovski does not suppose that this trend has too much to do with people making more money.

She quips, “Our price range is pretty high and it is quite common to see a whole bunch of people (of different ages) walk in and then walk out without purchasing the knick- knack for their phones which they were keen on buying until of course they heard how much it would cost them!”

Call it the effect of diversity in the field of science or the infiltration of fashion into technology’s domain; we can almost safely infer that the techno-fashion wedlock is bound to last forever.

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