4 JUL - 2023
I'm all for anything that lets me stick it to the man. And if that means wearing clothes that mess with facial recognition cameras, then so be it.
As we know, AI is taking over the world, and there isn't much we can do about it. The incredible rate that things are being developed and then accelerating into the market makes it so hard to keep up with. Sophie, our Chatty Editor, shared a TikTok with me about some rogue Italian startup creating garments that can protect everyday people’s identity from surveillance, and I was mind blown. After a little bit more digging into this buzzy concept, I’m now invested and hope whoever is reading this article will be too.
Meet Cap_able, a team of creative technologists creating clothes that can protect you from facial recognition cameras all while bringing the fashion game to a whole new level. A concept that seems like something out of a sci-fi movie. But it's not, and it's fucking amazing! In the fashion world, they're doing some very cool things. They're basically bringing a completely new mindset to the game.
Cap_able is more than just a brand that cares about your appearance. They're all about leveraging fashion to effect change. They want to highlight key topics often disregarded, such as privacy, non-binary representation, and infertility.
There are facial recognition cameras set up everywhere these days, even in little ol New Zealand, that are utilised for everything! These cameras constantly observe us, from security cameras to motion tracking systems that record our store activities. This is where Cap_able comes into play. They've designed apparel that protects your identity from these cameras using AI (artificial intelligence for those who are lost). No need to be concerned about some creepy ass business following your every move! Like come on, it's a little creepy.
Cap_able’s apparel empowers you to tell the surveillance peeps, "fuck off." You can go down the street with your head held high, secure in the knowledge that you are not being watched.
Their Manifesto collection above exemplifies what they stand for. They're using fashion to raise awareness about the perils of facial recognition technology and how it may be abused. They want to defend our privacy rights as individuals, but they also see the importance of the safety of communities through surveillance. The collection’s designs are quite subtle. They're not yelling, "I'm trying to avoid the government!" or anything. Instead, they say, "Hey, I'm fashionable and also mildly paranoid."
It's a big debate, right? Should we put individual privacy or community protection first?
Cap_able understands that respecting individual rights is critical to establishing a better community. They believe in the power of community to shape the future, and they want to bring people together to make a difference. Cap_able’s apparel is not only utilitarian but also incredibly stylish. Seriously, these garments are stunning. They have everything from hoodies to jackets to face masks, and everything is built with both utility and fashion in mind.
Cap_able is the company for you if you want fashion that is more than just a nice look. They use fashion to make a point, spark some dialogue, and call for change. This type of thing may not feel interesting or necessary to you. At the end of the day, this is just one illustration of how technology and fashion are colliding in a novel and interesting way. If you value your privacy and want to make extra efforts to secure your identity, it could be worth the investment. All in all, I just think it’s a really cool tool that just speaks volumes about the new societal challenges we may face as we enter this ever-evolving AI world. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
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