Saint Laurent Teams up With Jacquard by Google to Create Smart Backpack

by Maddison Glendinning September 19, 2019

Living in Canada, we know the importance (and necessity) of a backpack all too well. And now, Saint Laurent and Google have teamed up to deliver what might just be the backpack of our dreams.

Jacquard by Google is the tech giant’s innovative fashion arm which teams up with brands to create wearable technology through interactive threads embedded in the design. In 2017, it worked with Levi’s to create a smart denim jacket, and now it’s tapped Saint Laurent for its first backpack – the Cit-e.

According to Fashion Network, “Jacquard by Google’s textiles enable the wearer to access around 20 features on their smartphone via its facility to detect pressure and friction in the manner of a phone screen.” On the Cit-e, users can control the functions via the left strap of the bag. There are 20 customizable commands to choose from via a dedicated app, including camera, Google Maps, calendar, music and more.

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Cit-e Backpack. The first connected luxury backpack that can control music, drop pins on the go, take pictures, and more with a simple gesture. Link in bio to learn more. #JacquardbyGoogle #itsaneweverything

A post shared by Google ATAP (@googleatap) on Sep 13, 2019 at 8:00am PDT

The user can also determine how they want the presets to be activated, whether by brushing up, brushing down, double tapping or by covering the in-built chip. Plus, there is haptic feedback and a light indicator built into the bag that glows in different colours to alert users if they’ve left their phone behind.

On the official collaboration website, Google wrote, “Since its founding in 1961, Saint Laurent has been modernizing fashion and revolutionizing the social-cultural landscape. It continues to position itself at the summit of the luxury world with collections in ready-to-wear clothing, shoes, and handbags. With the latest Cit-e Backpack — the first ever connected luxury backpack — Saint Laurent continues the tradition of innovation and leadership, breaking new grounds in fashion and technology.”

The Cit-e backpack retails for CAD$1,165 and is available via Saint Laurent’s Rive Droite stores in Paris and Los Angeles, as well as online.

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