Inlighten CO – Wearable Tech Apparel
When the rays go down, Inlighten Co beams in a ‘wolf pack’ With apparel like the Divinity Mask asking for eye contact and Prophecy Bomber in polychromatic warmth. You become eager to the muse and inventiveness behind the firelight threads. Eddy Song, The Founder of Inlighten Co, answered just that.
Where did the idea of Inlighten Co. derive from and who was the demographic you were interested in catering to at the time, was it always aimed to the ‘rave’ community? Inlighten was an idea I encountered back when I was very involved in the rave scene. I liked the freedom of speech and expression that was taken to a whole new level. People wore the loudest colors, the darkest fantasy and more of, comfortable sneakers because they need to dance. I appreciate the appreciation of each other and I wanted to give back to the society – something I know people would love. But it goes way beyond the rave community. I like technology and fashion, I sometimes I am disappointed to see that in the year 2017 people still wear the boring stuff, the stuff we have been wearing for centuries. 20 years ago, when I had my dream and fantasy for the year 2017, it looked a whole lot different. I think this technology is definitely a great gateway to lead to a lot of potential good looking and functional tech wearable products.
Would you recommend the apparel to individuals such as athletes that workout at night and or cyclists for obvious reflecting reasons? It is definitely in the pipeline. I always go up and chat with people who could potentially benefit from this technology and products and ask them for opinions. I run at night sometimes and I know for a fact with proper design and some new materials, this will make running and biking at night a safe enjoyment.
The Momentum Tie is unique and dapper, where would you like to see this tie appear next ( a certain event or collab with a certain DJ/celeb)? We would love to see more collaboration with celebs, influencers, and designers in different ways. Take us through the design process, especially the small detailing like inspiration, Is there situation’s / moments Inlighten Co uses to bring the apparel to life? I think the defining moment for Inlighten’s inspiration is when I attended my first rave party. For the first time in my life, I saw so many people dress up and express themselves in such variety and bold ways. Rave girls wearing the booty shorts and pasties on their nipples, the old school shufflers wearing the phat/parachute pants, the goth girls in their bold black latex, the hippies wearing their colorful spiritual garment and the hipsters in their layered style. I was intrigued by everything I was seeing. It is the maximum amount of cultural shock I have experienced ever since I came to Canada, also a moment of relief and happiness. I knew I found my mecca. I started actively looking for clothing pieces that can help me to express myself and dress up in different occasions. I was rocking those light up kicks before it was even a thing. Also, light-up earrings that made people ask me “dude did you put a cigarette butt in your ear”. I am naturally attracted to lights like bugs and I like dancing with lights. It gives people a strong visual experience, and I am all about the experiences.
Was the journey quite smooth releasing Inlighten Co. or was there a lot of trial and error? I would say it’s definitely a lot of trial and errors and not smooth at all. A few people left the project when they realized how much harder it is than their expectations. But with all the mistakes we made, we learned and grew so much to what we are today- a leaner team with clear directions. People are brave and honest to talk about the mistakes they made and share experiences for others to learn. Product wise, there will always be room for improvement and we will not let go of what can be done to make it better.
What is the message behind Inlighten Co that most wouldn’t know besides standout apparel? Inlighten Co is not just about the product that gets you to stand out. It is more about the experience for you. You stand out to feel something. You feel connected with people, you feel confident, you feel special, you feel you are the trendsetter, you feel brave and you feel “inlightened” by the experiences What can we expect from Inlighten at StartUp Fashion Week? What would you like the attendees to feel when viewing? The product and technology have a beautiful combination. At the StartUp Fashion Week runway, you will be feeling the magical and powerful combo for the first time. Emotional, magical and otherworldly will be the word I use to describe it.
Is the apparel unpredictable weather ready? or should one always have back up to switch in to? We have made special treatment for the product so the charging cord is capped and protected from water if you wet it. However, like anything powered by a battery, we suggest users not to use it in the rain until we figure out a coping strategy.
What other forms of attire will Inlighten dabble into that your followers can look forward to? Without giving away the initial surprise of course! We are looking to expand to the full spectra of safety and fashion products. To anyone that needs a little light at night. We want you “Inlightened”
To become apart of the ‘Inlighten Co” follow their social media HERE and visit their website inlighten.co to purchase and be mesmerized by their apparel. If you’re in Toronto don’t miss out on Start Up Fashion Weeks Runway, Purchase tickets here: HERE before they sell out!
