Can cool be cool? The rise of air-conditioned clothing

{"text":[[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":7.64,"text":"When Rick Owens presented a series of air-conditioned jackets and tracksuit bottoms in collaboration with Adidas in June, in the midst of a record-breaking 40C heatwave during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, a fair few sweaty show-goers wished they could slip into the cooling devices right away."}],[{"start":25.96,"text":"The eye-catching inflatable garments contained built-in fans, which were used in conjunction with Adidas’s Climacool technology and ice vests to “create a personal air conditioning system with the goal of cooling a runner’s torso as much as possible before a race starts”, Owens explained in his show notes. The designer also nodded to the project’s environmental goals. “I’ve always said that while we still have a way to go confronting the environmental crisis, we can all start somewhere and aim higher,” he added."}],[{"start":55.6,"text":"But how far can air-conditioned clothing go in helping wearers deal with soaring temperatures? Fan jackets are by no means a new phenomenon: former Sony engineer Hiroshi Ichigaya came up with the idea in the early 2000s, after becoming concerned by the environmental impact of installing air-conditioning units in all the skyscrapers being erected in south-east Asia at the time. Instead, his invention — a jacket featuring a fan on either side of the back — offered a low-energy, portable alternative."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":84.28,"text":"In 2004, Ichigaya brought his creation to the Japanese market via his company Kuchofuku (literally translating to “air-conditioned clothing”), beginning with just one style. Demand grew alongside rising temperatures: during a sweltering heatwave in 2011, Ichigaya told ABC News that sales had increased 10-fold."}],[{"start":105.32,"text":"Fast forward to today, and fan jackets are a ubiquitous sight across Japan during the summer months, seen on construction workers, delivery drivers and postmen alike. Prices start at around ¥20,000 (£90) for a Kuchofuku version, while other popular brands include Burtle and Makita. “They’re just everywhere,” Tokyo-based fashion writer Ashley Ogawa Clarke says. “[The jackets are] surprisingly effective; it’s like having a portable fan but inside your clothes at all times.”"}],[{"start":135.52,"text":"Fan jackets work by moving air around the body, helping the sweat to evaporate faster, explains Dahua Shou, associate professor in advanced textile technologies at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. “Evaporation is normally how our body naturally gets rid of heat, so the extra airflow boosts our own cooling system,” he says."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":154.48,"text":"Shou says current models on the market are battery-powered, lasting between four and 12 hours before needing to be recharged. Compared with other cooling options, such as PCM (phase change material) vests that are filled with packs you freeze before wearing, air-conditioned clothing can keep you cool for longer, adds Shou."}],[{"start":172.6,"text":"According to research company Dataintelo, the global air-conditioned clothing market was worth an estimated $1.8bn in 2025 and is projected to rise to $4.6bn by 2034. But even in countries like Japan, where fan jackets have been around for the past two decades, they are yet to reach a mass audience. One reason for this is the existing infrastructure in east Asia: a personal cooling device is not necessary for those who work indoors, as most buildings have air conditioning. Other drawbacks include the noise made by the fans, and the puffed-up “marshmallow silhouette” of the air-conditioned jackets when turned on, Ogawa Clarke notes."}],[{"start":210,"text":"Still, brands like Rick Owens, Junya Watanabe and Anrealage have attempted to put the technology on the fashion map in recent years. Anrealage memorably partnered with Kuchofuku to create a series of ballooning air-conditioned dresses, jackets and skirts for its spring/summer 2025 collection during Paris Fashion Week in 2024."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":228.666,"text":"While these conceptual takes on air-conditioned clothing are not exactly the most wearable, Tokyo-based workwear label Hidesign wants its fan jackets to appeal to a more general consumer. “Our goal is to make wearable cooling technology a practical solution for daily life,” says Hideo Yoshii, Hidesign’s president and chief designer. It helps that air-conditioned clothing fits squarely within the technical aesthetic that has dominated menswear in recent years. “Our objective is not simply to make cooling garments fashionable, but to demonstrate that advanced functionality can naturally become part of modern clothing design,” Yoshii adds."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":263.92,"text":"From a sustainability perspective, producing more garments, primarily made out of fossil-fuel derived synthetics, may seem like a counterintuitive approach towards tackling the climate crisis. That is why it is crucial to consider both the durability of air-conditioned clothing and what happens to it at the end of its life."}],[{"start":281.415,"text":"“Air-conditioned clothing is a hybrid product, [combining] textiles with electronic components, so it makes end-of-life handling more complicated than conventional clothing,” Shou says. At Hidesign, Yoshii has set his sights on creating a closed-loop recycling system that allows the fan jackets to be remanufactured into the same type of garment. “As wearable technology becomes more sophisticated, designing products for repair, component replacement and material recovery will become increasingly important,” he notes."}],[{"start":311.37,"text":"But ultimately, wearable technology can only be considered a short-term solution that exists alongside significant infrastructure changes, Shou says. “Personal cooling technologies are relatively affordable, easy to deploy and adaptable to individual needs; they can offer immediate relief without waiting for large-scale urban planning or major infrastructure investments.”"}],[{"start":333.028,"text":"Although wider adoption of air-conditioned clothing is likely to come out of necessity, if the runways are anything to go by, you can expect the fashion set to be among the early adopters. Ogawa Clarke, for one, wishes he had packed his fan vest for Paris Fashion Week this season. “It would have been the coolest thing to have worn at the shows” — in both senses of the word."}],[{"start":352.97,"text":"Follow us on Instagram and sign up for Fashion Matters, your weekly newsletter about the fashion industry"}],[{"start":363.04,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1786279063_2508.mp3"}