What Are You Really Buying with a 1,899 Yuan iPhone “Sock”?
Apple × Issey Miyake: When Tech Meets High Fashion
Last night, Apple’s official website released a wearable accessory bag called iPhone Pocket — immediately igniting discussion across social media in China and abroad.
Price Shock
The bag, shaped like a “sock,” comes in long and short versions priced at RMB 1,899 and RMB 1,299 respectively.
iPhone socks for over 2,000 yuan?!
The design draws from Issey Miyake’s A Piece of Cloth philosophy, using a single-piece 3D knitted structure. It holds any iPhone plus small items like AirPods or lipstick, and can be carried by hand, attached to a bag, or worn crossbody.
From a pure accessory standpoint, the price is eyebrow-raising — even for Apple.
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Reactions and DIY Alternatives
- Many appreciate the creativity but balk at the price.
- Some are waiting for “Huaqiangbei clone versions.”
- Others are making DIY replicas.
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Context: Why the Price May Be Reasonable
This isn’t just an Apple accessory — it’s a fashion item designed primarily by Issey Miyake, co-branded with Apple, and sold on Apple’s site.
- Similar pouches from Issey Miyake often start at 20,000 yen (~RMB 1,000+).
- In that context, the price is standard for the brand.
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Issey Miyake × Apple — A Shared Design Philosophy
Issey Miyake is famous for:
- Innovative textile techniques
- Pleats Please patterns
- Minimalist yet avant-garde designs
Apple and Issey Miyake share aesthetic values.
The Steve Jobs Connection
- Jobs loved Issey Miyake's designs.
- His iconic black turtleneck was Miyake-made.
- Jobs even approached Miyake to design Apple staff uniforms (later scrapped).
Long-standing Mutual Respect
- Miyake appeared in Apple’s Think Different ad campaign.
- This collaboration marks their first direct product co-design.
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Understanding the “A Piece of Cloth” Concept
A Piece of Cloth (A-POC) is more than an acronym — it’s a rethinking of clothing production:
- A single yarn is fed into a computer-programmed machine.
- An entire garment emerges without cutting or sewing.
- Zero fabric waste is produced.
This method:
- Eliminates 15–30% typical fabric waste.
- Can produce full coordinated outfits from one continuous knit.
- Aligns perfectly with Apple’s sustainability goals.
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Why “Cloth” — Not “Thread”
“Thread” focuses on manufacturing; “cloth” emphasizes essence.
For Issey Miyake, clothing at its core is a single piece of cloth wrapping the body.
Senior designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae noted: A-POC’s essence isn’t showing off tech — it’s extending creativity beyond fashion.
Apple mirrors this mindset: complex engineering hidden behind simple elegance.
Both excel at making the complex feel effortless.
Apple VP Molly Anderson summed it up:
> “We weren’t aiming to collaborate at first — we were curious what we could learn from them, and they from us.”
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Accessories as Apple’s Next Fashion Move
Throwback: iPod Socks (2004)
- Six colorful knit sleeves, $29 per set
- Fit most iPods, also stored earbuds & keys
- Part of Apple’s “cool” lifestyle branding
Today, we apply personality and warmth to smartphones — once cold hardware.
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Molly Anderson’s Rationale
> “People’s way of carrying and pairing products has changed, becoming a form of self-expression.”
iPhone Pocket styles:
- Short: hand-carry or bag charm
- Long: wear crossbody like a sling bag
Emotional value now drives hits: practical + beautiful = desirable.
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Accessory Market Momentum
- Casetify’s charms & straps saw double-digit growth last year.
- Apple launched a long “phone strap” with the iPhone 17 series, attachable to official cases.
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The Bigger Picture
High fashion collabs are just the start — Apple will likely expand into:
- More affordable, playful official accessories
- Greater color and branding flexibility
- New materials and design influences
This collaboration is more than a product launch — it’s a convergence of histories and philosophies.
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Creative Parallels in Other Fields
Platforms like AiToEarn官网 share this DNA of merging artistry with efficiency:
- AI-powered content creation
- Multi-platform publishing (Douyin, Instagram, YouTube, etc.)
- Analytics and model ranking for creators
By connecting creation, distribution, and monetization, AiToEarn helps individual creators scale their vision — much like Apple and Miyake have scaled design across tech and fashion.
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In short:
Apple × Issey Miyake’s iPhone Pocket isn’t just an accessory — it’s a statement about design purity, sustainability, and self-expression. The question isn’t just “Why buy it?” but also “What does it represent?”
