Junya Watanabe's Fall/Winter 2016 collection contained a trench coat fused with solar panels, marking the Japanese fashion designer's first foray into wearable technology.

As we chart the steady influence of wearable technology on the high-end and mass-market fashion industries, it’s important to separate the defining moments of considered involvement from the gimmickry.  In doing so, we’ll spot the epochal moments more clearly. The revelation that Japanese "techno couture" fashion designer Junya Watanabe’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection contained a solar-powered trench coat amalgam could be one of these moments.

Wearable technology serves many a purpose, from tracking and monitoring to optimisation, and offering convenient solutions to common problems. Junya Watanabe’s trench coat fits into the second category. The six solar panels affixed to the trench, (four on the back, two on the front), plus a hidden power pack are designed to charge an iPhone low on battery. That they manage this without compromising the attractiveness of the garment is proof that their addition is more than just a modernisation, and testament to Watanabe's skill as a designer.

Could Junya also be commenting on the inseparable relationship between humans and their smartphones? Possibly.

To learn more about wearables and their various uses, read about Olive, a bracelet designed to relieve stress. Cur, the world’s first intelligent pain relief wearable, Iris Apfel’s very recent health monitoring jewellery range or Melissa Coleman’s ethical wearable, Political Lace.