Fashion and technology are two of the most popular powerful industries, so it’s a natural progression when they begin to merge. Technology has become more than just a new phone or the latest app; it has become integrated into most aspects of our lives. Because of this, it has become similar to fashion in that people now use it to express their individual style and personality.

From Fitbit’s Flex wristband to the Apple Watch, tech is making the move to become wearable and tech moguls are taking notice, hiring fashion designers to bolster their wearable technology divisions.

Apple began their haute couture hiring with David Chipperfield, former Vice President of Digital and Interactive Design for Burberry, and Paul Deneve, former CEO of Yves Saint Laurent Group. It will exciting in the coming year to see these fashion giants collaborating with major tech icons like Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.

Katie Hillier of Marc by Marc Jacobs is already one step ahead in the fashion industry and has designed a bangle and earrings that double as headphones, a heart monitor, and more for the brands Spring 2015 fashion show. Hillier is one of the first designers at a major fashion house to showcase wearable technology like this on the runway and many other designers are expected to follow suit.

While Hillier is making wearable tech a trend on the runways, other up-and-coming designers such as Melissa Saelzer, who is also an engineer with Lockheed Martin, are incorporating tech into their clothing designs. Saelzer debuted her line of dresses that light up and change colors with the push of a button at the Orlando Wearable Tech Meetup. Meetings like this are becoming more common and provide a chance for “Wearable Techies” to meet and discuss ideas.

Although clothing that can light up is fun, it isn’t always the most practical. Happily there are more useful “smart clothing” brands emerging such as Sensoria Fitness Range and Footfalls & Hearbeats.

2015 is sure to be an exciting year of emerging fashion and wearable technology trends. What do you think of this trend? Who will be the first company to crack the code and make it big with a stylish smartwatch? Let us know in the comments below.

• Apple hires Burberry’s VP of Digital Retail initiatives ahead of Apple Watch launch
• Apple Hires Yves St Laurent CEO for Special Projects
• Dress Smart: Marc by Marc Jacobs’ Tech-Meets-Fashion Fantasy
• Light-up dresses, 3-D printer bracelets: Inside Orlando’s wearable tech meetup