Tech Accessories: Internet-Connected Handbag

Korean luxury accessories brand Couronne has created the world’s first internet-connected handbag, showcasing the further filtration of wearable technology into the fashion accessories market.

The Smart Bag 1.0: Glimm connects to the wearer’s smartphone through a wireless network and via NFC (near-field communication) and Bluetooth technology to provide alerts on incoming calls and texts. Couronne’s logo on the exterior of the bag houses LEDs in a series of customisable colours, which are triggered by the activity of the wearer’s smartphone (see Tech-Enabled Nails for a similar application).

Location-based services are also tapped; warning lights are triggered when the user’s smartphone and bag are separated by a certain distance, alerting the owner of possible theft or loss.

According to the brand, sales of the bag in Korea are steadily increasing, ranking it among the top five of its most popular items.

The accessories market is ripe for digital innovation, with traditional watch manufacturers moving into the smartwatch market, and tech companies developing fashion accessories. LVMH announced plans in July to launch a rival Apple Watch product, while Samsung debuted its Gear S2 smartwatch earlier this month. For more, see Tech’s Fashionable Tipping Point, Apple Watch: Fashion’s Validation, and Tech & Fashion: War On Talent.

For more on intelligent fashion and accessories, see Intelligent Bikini, Luxottica & Intel, SXSWi 2014: Decoded Fashion.