And the Beat Goes on

Fashion and technology have a complex relationship. The very different worlds often struggle to find a way to merge in order to make tomorrow’s hottest trends palatable for today’s consumers. But Urbanears founder and creative director, Oscar Axhede, knows exactly how to combine them to create fashionable headphones.

More and more fashion labels are integrating digital components in their garments. During Stockholm Fashion Week this year there was everything from virtual-reality experiences to panel discussions on technology in fashion. The designer Ida Klamborn broadcast her show in real time through an application and a Google cardboard set, making fans feel like they were on the front row. DRKN, the streetwear brand inspired by gaming, closed the week with a laser installation at their show.

 

 

The fashion crowd is trained to look into the future, and currently the whole industry seems to be embracing technology and the innovation it can provide. But will consumers choose efficiency over stylishness? As technology progresses and is able to create more discreet, flexible and washable materials, fashion can develop, and vice versa. Everything, from hats to underwear, contains some form of tech today.

Since its launch in 2008, Zound Industries, the company with the colourful headphones, has sold more than 10 million products all over the world. One of their four brands, Urbanears, has now set its sights on targeting a new audience – active people.

 

 

Urbanears ACTIVE

#1 Hellas Rush #2 Hellas Trail #3 Hellas Team

 

 

“One of the first things we thought about was that the headphones should be washable,” Axhede says. “We also scaled down the weight and tried to remove as much unnecessary material as we could, focusing on pure function and materials that work well when training, such as mesh. And the headphones also have a lot of reflective elements, helping make you more visible when you’re running at night.”

Thanks to the development of hi-tech fabrics over recent years, the scope of possible new designs is much wider. “There are a lot of varieties of mesh, so it took time to find the right kind – one that didn’t feel too ‘plasticky’,” he says. “you don’t want the headphones to feel like a wet T-shirt. you want them to feel airy.”

Axhede says that inspiration for the Active collection partly came from other types of materials used in the active-wear industry – “There are exciting things happening in that industry. Johanna Schneider’s collection with Nike last year is one of the better ones I’ve seen. Adidas always make great stuff, too – we got a lot of inspiration from their Stellasport collection. To take something that is a sports or fashion item and take it in any direction and see how far you can draw it before someone reacts, that is interesting, though some things are better if they have a function. Why put a square hood on a gym top if it doesn’t have a function? But I think there is an insane amount of inspiration to be found in the sports world.”

With all the holes in the Hellas headband and ear cushions, the headphones may look unfinished to some, but these holes are key to making the headphones as light as possible. Indeed, when it comes to aesthetics versus function, there is always a balance that needs to be struck, but it’s clear that there is something more important for Axhede and Urbanears: “We have worked hard to remove, delete and then remove more. We’re from Scandinavia, so we’re good at that.”

Words: Fredrik Wallin

Artwork: Joe Cruz

Photography: Johan Borgqvist

Special Thanks: Urbanears