Introducing Electric Runway- the Book!
Technology is transforming every industry—and fashion is no exception. In fact, fashion not only reflects cultural movements but often anticipates them.
Electric Runway explores technological innovation through the lens of fashion. Each chapter focuses on an emerging technology—from the smartphone to artificial intelligence—and examines how it’s reshaping the way clothing is designed, manufactured, promoted, and consumed.
Drawing on over a decade of reporting from every stage of the fashion supply chain, Amanda Cosco takes readers on a global journey—from garment factories in Bangladesh to fashion shows in Nigeria—for an up-close look at the future of textiles, trend forecasting, and digital expression. From smart fabrics that light up the runway to genetically engineered materials grown in labs, Electric Runway charts the technological transformation of an industry in flux.
Ultimately, this book goes beyond how clothing is made and sold to explore how it’s worn, valued, and experienced. At its core, Electric Runway argues that fashion is more than just clothing—it’s a cultural interface, and technology is now its most powerful input. As the industry grapples with overproduction, environmental impact, and evolving consumer expectations, innovation offers not only new possibilities but urgent solutions. Fashion’s future isn’t just about what’s new—it’s about what’s next, and who gets to shape it.
Why read it?
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Discover the Future of Fashion:
Get a front-row seat to the innovations transforming the fashion industry, from AI-driven design to augmented reality shopping experiences.
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Global Perspective:
Explore the intersection of fashion and technology across diverse regions, with stories from Nigeria to New York
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Understand Industry Challenges:
Learn about the complexities of implementing tech in fashion, from ethical production and sustainability to the fast-paced nature of digital trends.
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Behind-the-Scenes Insights
Gain exclusive access to the creators, designers, and tech pioneers who are redefining how we design, produce, and consume clothing.
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A Decade of Expertise:
Benefit from Amanda Cosco’s ten years of experience at the forefront of fashion technology, bringing you expert insights and in-depth analysis of the trends shaping the industry.
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A Roadmap for the Future:
Get a glimpse into what’s next for the fashion industry, as Electric Runway explores emerging technologies like smart textiles, virtual fashion, and blockchain for sustainability.
What’s inside
Chapter 1: The Smartphone (and its Killer App, Social Media)
Smartphones and social media have reshaped the fashion industry, shifting influence from traditional gatekeepers to everyday users, accelerating trend cycles, enabling direct-to-consumer models, and fueling the rise of the creator economy. Through global examples, including Nigeria’s leap into mobile commerce, this chapter shows how digital tools have democratized fashion and transformed how we produce, share, and shop for style.
Chapter 2: The Internet of Things
Fashion is evolving from a static commodity to an interactive, data-driven medium. Chapter three traces the rise of wearable technology and smart clothing as part of the Internet of Things (IoT) through global stories and firsthand experiences, from Silicon Valley Fashion Week to Burning Man. This chapter revels how garments are becoming connected tools for self-expression, health monitoring, and sustainability—offering a glimpse into a future where our clothes are not just worn, but alive with information and possibility.
Chapter 3: Automation
From sewing machines to smart factories, automation has been streamlining fashion production for the past century, but it isn’t without challenges and consequences. Through firsthand reporting and historical context, this chapter explores how technology drives efficiency and overproduction, while also raising complex questions about labour, ethics, and the future of garment work in a globalized world.
Chapter 4: Spatial Computing
Spatial computing is reshaping fashion by blending the digital and physical worlds—enabling virtual try-ons, augmented reality shopping, immersive runway shows, and personalized fit using LiDAR. From Snapchat filters to Apple's Vision Pro, this chapter traces how these technologies redefine how we experience style, shop online, and connect with brands in 3D space.
Chapter 5: Web 3
Web 3 marks a shift toward decentralization, digital ownership, and immersive experiences powered by blockchain, NFTs, and virtual environments. From Hanifa’s ghost-like 3D runway show to digital-only dresses and metaverse fashion weeks, this chapter traces how fashion brands embraced Web 3 to explore new forms of value, self-expression, and community. Despite the crypto crash, key innovations—like 3D digital assets, blockchain-backed transparency, and avatar-based experiences—continue to shape the evolving future of fashion.
Chapter 6: Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is transforming every layer of the fashion industry—from design to retail. This chapter explores how brands are using AI for trend forecasting, inventory management, personalized shopping, and even creative direction. While early experiments like chatbots and recommendation engines laid the groundwork, more recent breakthroughs in generative AI and computer vision are enabling new forms of automation, content creation, and customer engagement. As fashion learns to collaborate with algorithms, questions of authorship, bias, and ethics come to the forefront.
Chapter 7: Biotechnology
Biotechnology is emerging as fashion’s most radical tool for reimagining the materials we wear. From lab-grown leather to mycelium-based textiles and bacteria-powered garments, designers and scientists are collaborating to engineer sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-based fabrics. This chapter explores how living systems are being used to grow materials, transform manufacturing, and reduce fashion’s environmental footprint. It also looks at the rise of metamaterials and nanotech—substances engineered at the atomic level for extreme performance. While technical and cultural adoption hurdles remain, innovations in biotech signal a shift from extractive production to regenerative design, offering a hopeful path forward for both people and the planet.
