Ralph Lauren to Sell Wearable-Tech Shirt Timed for US Open

A prototype of the shirt was first worn by tennis player and NCAA singles champion Marcos Giron and some of the ball boys at the U.S. Open past year during practices, and was developed using proprietary technology from Montreal-based OMsignal. An accelerometer captures the intensity of movement, based on G-force measurements. A small black box filled with sensors is snapped into the shirt close to the rib cage, tracking things like steps taken, breathing depth and heart rate.

Ralph Lauren, which tested out a PoloTech shirt with biometric sensors at last summer’s U.S. Open, is going to begin selling the fitness shirts-which connect to a mobile app and can track everything from heart rate to calories burned – at retail next week.

Stéphane Marceau, CEO of OMsignal, called it “the first product to bring advanced apparel technology and digital fitness technology together, into one smart, connected apparel product”. This data is monitored during any type of physical activity, from walking around the block to running a marathon, and then transmitted wirelessly to the wearer’s smart phone.

The app does not only gather data about the wearer’s workout but it also analyses the data in real time. Now at least the shirt does not integrate into other health applications.

There are now three customized workouts that users can utilize.

Ralph Lauren An iPhone app synchronizes with the shirt for real-time monitoring. Its Wholesale company, representing approximately 47% of the Company’s fiscal 2014 net revenues, consists of sales made mainly to major department stores and specialty stores across the world. In addition to the groundbreaking PoloTech shirt, the company has created directional high-tech initiatives as an early pioneer in e-commerce, creation of holographic runway shows, development of interactive and shoppable retail windows, and introduction of the RL Children’s Virtual Storybook.

PoloTech is not the only article of smart clothing on the market. Also, Director David R. Lauren sold 14,010 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 29th.

But that’s just the start, Lauren said. While many may be excited about the technology, and many others may be interested in improving their exercise routine, the price tag may keep many interested buyers away.

Ralph Lauren has announced that its smart shirts will finally be released to the public – that is, the public that can afford to spend $295 for a gym shirt.

JP Morgan reiterated their Neutral stance on June 23, and increased their price target on RL stock from $125 to $130.

It took two years to develop the smart shirt and it now features an impressive new fitness app. While it might seem like a futuristic invention, David is keen not to alienate people and says that’s why the shirt’s design is so simple.