Maritess De Ocampo

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Sony Headphones 

Moira Macainag

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17842812208981000X_THE_COLLEXION_Black_Audiophile_Fashion-Large.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>There was a time when wearing over-ear headphones in public felt like carrying a piece of studio equipment down the street. They were practical, often bulky, and rarely considered part of an outfit.</p><p>Not anymore.</p><p>Today, personal audio has become part of the wardrobe. Over-ear headphones are worn as deliberately as a favorite handbag, statement sunglasses or an everyday watch—appearing just as often around the neck between coffees as they do over the ears during the commute.</p><p>Because style has always been about more than looking good—it&#x27;s about feeling good, too.</p><p>Studies have long explored the idea of &quot;enclothed cognition,&quot; the way what we wear can subtly influence how we think and feel. The same idea increasingly applies to the objects we interact with every day. When something is thoughtfully designed, comfortable to wear and seamlessly fits into our routine, it doesn&#x27;t just elevate an outfit—it can make everyday moments feel a little more intentional.</p><p>It&#x27;s a shift that&#x27;s beginning to influence product design, too. New releases are paying as much attention to materials and craftsmanship as they are to sound quality. Sony&#x27;s newly launched 1000X THE COLLEXION, unveiled in the Philippines to celebrate a decade of its flagship 1000X series.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784281267505CVB00118.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>Rather than treating headphones purely as technology, Sony presented them alongside fashion, craftsmanship and design—complete with a runway presentation styled by designer Gian Romano and a panel featuring fashion designer Rajo Laurel on the intersection of sound, creativity and personal style. </p><p>The question, then, isn&#x27;t simply how a pair of headphones sounds. It&#x27;s whether you&#x27;ll actually enjoy wearing them.</p><p>Here&#x27;s what  to look for before investing in a premium pair:</p><div><strong>1. Choose Headphones You&#x27;ll Want to Wear, Not Just Listen To</strong></div><p>The best accessories are the ones you reach for without thinking. Think about your favorite handbag. Chances are, you probably don&#x27;t purchase a handbag based solely on how much it fits. You notice the leather, the stitching, the hardware. The way it feels after months of use.</p><p>Headphones are becoming much the same. If they&#x27;re something you&#x27;ll wear every day—to work, on flights, at cafés, or during your commute—they should complement your wardrobe rather than interrupt it.</p><p>That&#x27;s where material choice becomes surprisingly important. Instead of glossy plastic that immediately reads as &quot;tech&quot;, look for matte finishes, refined metal accents and softer materials that feel elevated enough to pair with tailoring, denim or minimalist basics.</p><p>Matte finishes, clean lines and understated silhouettes tend to feel timeless, making them easier to wear across different outfits and seasons.</p><div><strong>2. Comfort Is the Most Underrated Luxury</strong></div><p>Wellness isn&#x27;t always about expensive retreats or morning routines.</p><p>Sometimes it&#x27;s choosing products that make everyday life more comfortable.</p><p>If you&#x27;re wearing headphones for three or four hours a day, the materials matter. Heavy clamping force, stiff ear cushions or synthetic finishes that trap heat quickly become distractions instead of luxuries. So pay attention to those details.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784281310266Daryl Chang.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Daryl Chang</em></span></span></span>Sony says the faux leather used on THE COLLEXION took two years to develop, balancing durability with a softer feel that&#x27;s designed to stay comfortable throughout extended listening sessions. It&#x27;s the sort of detail you won&#x27;t notice during a five-minute demo—but you&#x27;ll appreciate it after wearing them for an entire workday, a long-haul flight, or your daily commute.</div><div><strong>3. Buy for Your Lifestyle, Not Your Wishlist</strong></div><p>Before comparing battery life or technical specifications, think about how you&#x27;ll actually use your headphones.</p><p>Are they coming with you on your morning commute? Helping you focus in a busy café? Travelling overseas? Becoming your work-from-home companion?</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17842814235661000X_THE_COLLEXION_Platinum_BusinessTraveler_Fashion-Large.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>The best pair isn&#x27;t always the one with the longest list of features—it&#x27;s the one that fits naturally into your everyday rhythm.</p><p>Great design should quietly support your day rather than ask you to adjust around it.</p><div><strong>4. Dress Around the Headphones</strong></div><p>Let&#x27;s be honest. Most of the day, your headphones aren&#x27;t actually on your ears. They&#x27;re resting around your neck while you&#x27;re ordering coffee, boarding a train or chatting with friends.</p><p>Treat them the same way you&#x27;d style a chunky necklace.</p><p>Crewneck T-shirts, oversized button-downs and relaxed knitwear create a clean canvas, while bulky turtlenecks and heavily structured collars can make everything feel crowded.</p><p>The cleaner and more sculptural the headphones, the more naturally they become part of the outfit rather than an afterthought.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17842814683861000X_THE_COLLEXION_In-situation_Color_Variation2-Large.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>THE COLLEXION arrives in understated Black and White finishes, making them less trend-driven and easier to incorporate into everyday dressing season after season. </p><div><strong>5. The Carry Case Matters More Than You Think</strong></div><p>Good design doesn&#x27;t stop at the product.</p><p>If your headphones are part of your everyday wardrobe, the carry case should feel just as considered. Bulky hard-shell cases often end up left at home because they&#x27;re inconvenient to carry.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784281500847CVB00800.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><p>Sony&#x27;s THE COLLEXION case takes a different approach. Featuring a clean, sculptural design with an integrated handle, it can be carried comfortably on its own or slipped into a tote, making it feel more like a thoughtfully designed everyday accessory than another piece of tech.</p><div><strong>6. Good Design Doesn&#x27;t Compete for Attention</strong></div><p>Great design isn&#x27;t about choosing between beauty and performance. It&#x27;s about making sure one never comes at the expense of the other.</p><p>That&#x27;s where THE COLLEXION stands out. Beneath its clean, understated silhouette is Sony&#x27;s latest listening technology, including a bespoke driver unit, Edge-AI-powered DSEE Ultimate that enhances compressed music, enhanced 360 Reality Audio Upmix for a more immersive listening experience, and the brand&#x27;s acclaimed noise-cancelling system.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784281587645DSC04050.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Rajo Laurel</em></span></span></span></div><p>Rather than letting those innovations define the product, Sony has integrated them into a design that feels timeless enough to wear every day.</p><div><strong>Fashion&#x27;s New Everyday Essential</strong></div><p>As our homes have become offices, cafés have become workspaces, and daily commutes have turned into moments of solitude, the things we carry every day are expected to do more than function. We want them to feel good to use, comfortable enough to wear for hours, and beautiful enough to become part of how we express ourselves.</p><p>The line between fashion, comfort, and technology has never been thinner.</p><div><em>Photos courtesy of Sony.</em></div>

<p>Headphones have become more than just personal audio—they're now part of the modern wardrobe. Inspired by Sony's new 1000X THE COLLEXION, here's what to look for in a pair that blends style, comfort and performance.</p>

Headphones have become more than just personal audio—they're now part of the modern wardrobe. Inspired by Sony's new 1000X THE COLLEXION, here's what to look for in a pair that blends style, comfort and performance.

Are over-ear headphones the new fashion accessory? Here's what to know before you shop

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Are over-ear headphones the new fashion accessory? Here's what to know before you shop

Moira Macainag

Published July 17, 2026 05:57 PM PHT

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Updated July 17, 2026 06:25 PM PHT

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Fashion And Tech

Sony PH

1000X The Collexion

Style Meets Sound

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