In Depth
Consumers
Cellphone chic
Phones have become a fashion accessory
Last Updated April 18, 2007
By Aparita Bhandari, CBC News
A fashion model wearing designer Shan lingerie shows off LG's TG800 Chocolate handset at the cellphone's Canadian launch in Toronto in November, 2006. Manufacturers are putting more and more design effort into the look of their handsets, marketing them as must-have fashion accessories.
Skinny models may be controversial in the fashion world. In the cellphone industry, they are all the rage.
Take the LG TG800 Chocolate, the Samsung SGH-d807 or the Motorola KRZR, for example, some of the latest cellphones being advertised by the Canadian cellular industry. The slim phones offer integrated features such as MP3 players, digital cameras and multimedia messaging, but they're also about eye-catching fashion.
Cellphone companies are putting as much effort into esthetics as they are into the engineering of the electronics.
High-priced high fashion
Handset makers such as LG, Samsung and Motorola have been collaborating with fashion houses such as Prada, Versace and D&G to make limited-edition phones.
Don't add one to your shopping list unless money really is no object for you, though. One luxurious extreme is the white-gold and diamond-encrusted GoldVish, for example, which costs a cool $1.3 million US.
But eye-catching cellphones aren't just for fashionistas. Handsets are now a part of everyday life, said Mark Choma, director of communications with the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, and many people want a phone that, as an accessory, offers as much fashion as function. Manufacturers, as expected, are catering to the demand.
Quote
'What makes wireless attractive is the amount of choice — there's a cellphone for everyone.' Mark Choma, CWTA
"What makes wireless attractive is the amount of choice — there's a cellphone for everyone," he said. "If you want it just for security purposes when you leave home, there's a device and a plan for you. If you want to access internet or e-mail, there's another device for you. Anything you want to do from a desktop, you can now do remotely with smartphones."
What's hot
In Canada, the Nokia 7280, and the L'Amour Collection — Nokia 7370 and 7380 — are advertised as the ultimate fashion accessory, available through Holt Renfrew. Part of the new fashion collection, the 7280's art deco design resembles a lipstick case, complete with a mirror, and is clearly aimed at the female market. The leather and gold metal accents of the L'Amour collection are similarly designed to make a fashion statement. All three phones include a camera and FM radio.
But the phone fashion scene is not just about glitter and bling. RIM's BlackBerry continues to lead the smartphone charge in Canada, and Palm's Treo has doubled its market share to 26 per cent.
Slim phones like the Motorola KRZR offer integrated features such as MP3 players, digital cameras and multimedia messaging, but they're also about eye-catching fashion.
The BlackBerry 8800 from RIM is the company's thinnest handheld, with a QWERTY keyboard and GPS, along with the usual BlackBerry features such as e-mail, text messaging and a web browser.
Palm's Tre0 680 is targeting new users in the smartphone market.
Slimmer and lighter than previous models, the Palm Treo 680 also features a QWERTY keyboard and camera, besides offering e-mail and a web browser. The unlocked version — on sale through the online Palm store — also comes in a choice of four colours.
Pimp my phone
While the latest phones themselves serve as fashion accessories, personal touches can make your device stand out.
There are various accessories, ranging from generic leather cases and plastic skins to Hello Kitty and Luis Vuitton cases, available at retail stores. However, there are some rather unusual options out there, too, if you do some digging:
- My Bling Ring Couture Kit: At $125 US, this kit features 750 Swarovski crystals in main and accent colours (myblingring.com). If you don't have time to glue the crystals on, the company can bling your phone for $295 plus shipping.
- VAJA cases: Based in Argentina, this company (vajacases.com) offers high-end, custom-made leather cases for a selection of cellphones. Most cases come in a wide range of pre-set colour combinations. However, for some phones you can choose your own colours. It can take up to a month for the cases to be hand-crafted and then sent via Fed-Ex to your door.
- MoPod: Yet another Japanese innovation, this accessory features characters in a small glass dome that spin and flash when you receive a phone call (mopod.co.uk). You can attach the MoPod to your purse or keep it on your desk. The device works within about a one-metre range from the cellphone. The choice of characters includes a penguin, gangster or monkey.
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