# Work and Life in the Mobile Society/Life/Fashion

In today’s fast paced consumer society, do we have to wait until fashion shows come out to know what’s in style? Is fashion limited to just clothing and clothing accessories or have designers found a new niche for profit making; something society is consuming at an astounding rate: the cellular phone?
We used to wait a year before the new clothing trends arrived to North America, from Europe. Now, because of the Internet, as soon as a style comes out, everyone has access. The market is open to us all. We don’t all have to dress the same. We can pick and choose from any style, anywhere in the world! We are all, well-informed customers. And, we all want that new dress, that new bag, that new pair of shoes, right now, before it goes out of style in a few weeks. Just as pressing to young and old alike, is getting that new top of the line cellular phone.
What started out as a convenient tool, for travelling business professionals, has become an indispensable part of our daily lives and a major fashion statement. No longer do we purchase a cellular phone according to the best reception and best warranty features, or from the best-know supplier, but rather by its look and fashion accessories that accompany it, and by the Designer Name.

## Fashions for Phones

That’s right, major cellular manufacturers have joined forces with major fashion designers to constantly come up with new and improved trend-setting cellular phones. Motorola has teamed up with Bono, from U2 to design the Red phone. LG has cooperated with Prada, Samsung with Versace and Giorgio Armani, and Nokia together with Ferrari have come up with a gorgeous Vertu mobile phone at a starting price of $25,400. The Vertu comes in different collections, including the white diamonds, and colored diamonds models, the limited editions models, Racetrack Legends and Ferrari 1947, and a special summer collection, not to mention the luxury accessories that can also be purchased. The Versace SGHE500 Versus, designed in collaboration with Samsung, comes with special software particularly designed for women to keep track of calorie intake and menstrual cycles, calculate BMI, check biorhythm, and also, amazingly, to check how different hairstyles would look on you. And, why not, when the phone is turned off, the external screen turns into a mirror!
Fashion, the mobile society, and the cellular phone have become a complete package. A boutique on the Champs Élysées, in Paris, carries only brand name designer cellular phones such as Prada, Giorgio Armand and Ferrari. Mobile phones have become a big fashion statement, but moreover, a symbol of status!

## Phones for Fashion

In Japan, most people conduct their daily internet activities, such as e-mail, on-line shopping, paying invoices, through their mobile phones. They can order clothes on their mobile phone through internet sites such as girlswalker.com, fashionwalker.com, or style.com, which lets you watch the runway shows live and place your orders instantly.
There seems to be no limit in sight as to how far or how luxurious our mobile fashion trends will go. Last June, a group of students from the Nairn Academy in Scotland won a contest by inventing a product they named Stitch; a device that enables barcodes on clothes to check if the item will fit, and it also comes with an internet program which lets shoppers see what that outfit would look like on them.

## Conclusion

As human nature dictates, inventors and designers need to create, consumers need to buy, and business people need to make money. And the circle continues and will continue!

## References

* BBC News Channel
* Business Week
* Busy with Style
* Style.com brings fashion shows to mobile
* Luxury Handsets Fashion Goes Mobile, Mobilemarketer.com