mode++ is a fashion technology company focused on creating wearable and fashion related technology, and disseminate awareness of technological use in the fashion industry. Mode as an interpretation of a fashion style and ++ is shorthand for adding 1 to a number in programming, loosely translating to augmenting fashion to another level with the use of technology. As a new NE Ohio based startup, we will launch our first retail product this year: memento.
Margarita Benitez is the Fashion Technologist and an Assistant Professor at The Fashion School at Kent State University. She received her MFA in Art + Technology Studies thru a Trustee Scholarship from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In addition to working with fashion technology and e-textiles, her current research explores digital fabrication in an art and design context. Her work has been exhibited nationally, internationally and is part of museum and private collections. Most recently she presented her work and research at BIFT/ITAA Symposium at Beijing, the New Media Art Caucus Artist showcase at the 100th Annual College Art Association Conference and at the 2012 Smart Fabrics Conference.
She received a 2012 NEA Artworks Grant for co-curating the exhibition Shifting Paradigms of Identity: Creative Technology and Fashion and a 2012 NEA Media in Arts Grant for S.A.R.A.: Synesthetic Augmented Reality Application, a wearable synesthetic performance device. She was the Fulbright-Quartier21/MuseumsQuartier Artist-in-Residence for 2012-2013 in Vienna, Austria for the project open thread : wien. http://margaritabenitez.com/
Markus Vogl is an Assistant Professor in Graphic Design at the Myers School of Art at the University of Akron and a NE Ohio based multimedia artist experimenting in multiple sensory experiences combining sound, environments and interactive installation. He holds a Masters of Fine Art degree in New Media from Donau Universitaet Krems/transart institute and has 25 years of experience in the field. Originally from Salzburg, Austria he has exhibited internationally in the U.S., Asia, Europe and Australia. He has been recognized in Leonardo magazine for his collaboration Circadian Capital. He has received a 2012 NEA Media in Arts Grant for S.A.R.A.: Synesthetic Augmented Reality Application, a wearable synesthetic performance device.
S.A.R.A. has been shown at ingenuityfest, Collider, the Cleveland Public Theater, the Academy of Visual Arts in Hongkong and Nanyang University Singapore. He has presented papers at the Shapeshifting conference in Auckland, New Zealand, the New Media Art Caucus Artist showcases during the Annual College Art Association Conference, South by SouthWest Austin, Texas, Digital Fashion, London, Computers and the History of Art conference, London and the BIFT/ITAA research Symposium at Beijing and has been a featured speaker at events in the US. http://markusvogl.com/
Video: Tony Samangy
Models: Katie Timperio and Dani Bennett
Gordon Stumpo
Rachel Harper
Tinycircuits: Ken Burns and Ben Rose