Recently, Apple has been hiring some huge names from the fashion world and bringing them to the tech arena; or, at least, that grey area of design where tech and fashion blend together. Apple has centered its product on aesthetic, design, and branding as much as technical power, and with its desire to expand the its lifestyle worldwide, it makes sense that those behind some of the biggest names in fashion have been asked and convinced to make the move to Cupertino. Furthermore, with wearable tech becoming the next great frontier, it only makes more sense that Apple wants a piece of the fashion pie, as much as fashion wants a slice of Apple’s emerging technology.
After all, Apple is just as much about providing a “lifestyle” as it is about crafting cutting-edge computing and technology. Considering that many fashion brands are interested in providing the same top-to-bottom lifestyle for its customers, it comes as no surprise that fashion execs and Apple bigwigs are often sitting side by side. Case in point: Apple CEO Tim Cook is a board member at Nike, while J.Crew’s Mickey Drexler sits on the board of directors at Apple. But lately, these concentric circles have tightened up and merged with one another. From origins at sneaker giants to leading some of the most venerable fashion houses in history, check out Every Person Apple Has Poached From the Fashion Industry. Expect these people to make big waves in the very near future.