Topshop reveals Top Pitch winner

By

Cajsa Lykke Carlson

Published
Aug 22, 2016

The Crated, an innovation house that works on seamlessly integrating electronic circuitry into textiles, has won British fashion retailer Topshop's wearable tech programme Top Pitch.

Topshop launched Top Pitch together with L Marks to discover and develop start-up businesses that could deliver technology-enabled products to customers globally, and The Crated fits the brief perfectly. Started by Madison Maxey, the company creates solutions to help companies combine technology and apparel and specialist functionalities in heating, safety and posture. It will now team up with Topshop to design a heated garment prototype.

The Crated founder Madison Maxey says: "We're excited that big, high-street retailers like Topshop are seeing wearables as something that's more than a gimmick, but as a true and useful consumer product sector. Being part of the Top Pitch Programme allowed us to understand how Topshop is viewing the smart clothing market and how start-ups like ourselves can create tools and technologies that feed into that view. We're excited to keep building our relationship with Topshop going forward!"

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Two other finalists were also mentored by Topshop to support the development of their digital accessories. They are Luma Legacy, from Los Angeles, USA, which makes charm jewellery through which memories can be shared, and Pins Collective, which have developed a digital badge and an associated app that lets users design and wear custom badges.

Topshop's Global Marketing and Communications Director Sheena Sauvaire comments: "We are pleased to announce that Madison Maxey's The Crated has won Topshop's innovation programme, Top Pitch. The Crated achieved the balance between style and function; its focus on textiles to create next generation Smart Clothing using heat technology is simple, with a clear purpose for the consumer. Furthermore, it can be easily integrated into Topshop's design and production process, which is often a challenge for wearable tech products."

Companies from 25 countries applied to Top Pitch, and Topshop said it will continue to support a select shortlist with further mentoring on business skills and research.