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Launched at Art Basel, the jewelry collection is a new spin on wearable tech.
Adopting a different approach to wearable tech, Miami-based jewelry and accessories brand is releasing a technology-inspired collection of jewelry pieces with artist and photographer Gab Bois.
Launched during Art Basel in Miami, the collection of pieces includes earrings, rings, necklaces, and bracelets, each designed with a technology detail that references the ways technology keeps us connected today.
Wearable tech is an idea that’s been building momentum over the past decade—remember Google Glass? —with lots of huge industry advancements in both design and tech gaining traction. But for this collection, Miansai opted for a more simplistic approach to highlight the brand’s elevated design ethos.
Instead of commenting on the promise that technology makes our lives easier and more automated, Miansai founder Michael Saiger wanted to highlight “the way technology keeps us connected throughout the world.”
This is a theme that the brand has explored before, with this past summer’s Selfie Culture campaign highlighting the cultural prevalence of selfies. The latest collection is a natural extension of this idea that showcases all the ways people communicate with each other today.
“At the heart of this collection and collaboration is human connection,” he says.
When it came to collaborating, the brand instantly had its eyes on Gab Bois. Based in Montreal, the artist is recognized for her surreal work that merges the surreal with the everyday and has worked with major designers like Balenciaga, Jean Paul Gaultier, Marc Jacobs, and Nike. Known for taking everyday objects and manipulating them into glossy and otherworldly compositions, her ability to subvert utilitarian design into something entirely new was a perfect fit for the jewelry brand.
“We look up to Gab’s creativity and the genius way in which she combines real life objects such as food into wearable pieces and art,” says Saiger.
The key design influence for this collection was the iPhone. Design cues from the device’s camera and SIM card informed the aesthetic of the collection, which is anchored by sterling silver and black accents for a sleek and minimal look. Rings, necklaces, and earrings were designed with details inspired by the smartphone’s camera—the simple modern enhancement to a traditional piece of jewelry wouldn’t look out of place in a James Bond film. But rather than focus on surveillance, the collection highlights how cameras enable us to connect more, by instantly capturing and sharing personal moments with those around the world.
The collection is available for pre-order online at Miansai.
