Apple's approach to the wearables market is decidedly different from other manufacturers in the space and nothing said that more than the company openly courting fashion influencers.

But if Apple is to make a success of the Apple Watch, it has to make it a device that will appeal beyond those that are happy to queue for weeks on end outside the company's stores for the latest phone. It also needs to attract a mainstream audience who want form, functionality, design and fashion cool. 

So what did the fashionatti think? We've rounded up key quotes from some of the biggest names in fashion to see what their verdict is on the new Apple Watch. 

Dylan Jones, editor of GQ 

"I don't think he has anything to worry about, though, as what Apple have done is not only invent a new product, but also create a completely new sector: Technolux, a seamless fusion of tech and luxury that will appeal to those who want to spend four hundred dollars on a trendy new watch, and those who want to buy the upmarket version for thousands and thousands."

"But the Apple Watch looks refreshingly modern while also looking like something you've seen a thousand different times before (from Cartier to Swatch). It is strange, yet familiar. Which is why it will work."

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Lisa Armstrong Fashion editor of The Telegraph:

"In the illustrations and photographs I was initially shown, very beautiful: a gnomically blank-faced rectangular sliver on a variety of straps that is both futuristic and intuitively familiar. Perhaps those illustrations created unrealistic expectations. When it was finally unveiled, it seemed a tad bulky. But they need to stash all that technology somewhere. Once on, it sits surprisingly elegantly on your wrist. And at the first satisfying chink of the buckle, which snaps together magnetically, it was on its way to clinching the deal."

"Would I like one? Yes. I love watches, and I'm a sucker for a good looking gadget. However, at least two generations have grown up, partly thanks to smart phones, not wearing watches. Will they be wowed? And will Apple convince aficionados of expensive watches, that the gold Edition version is an heirloom in the making rather than a cutting edge gizmo that will look quaintly outmoded in three years? And where will Edition sell? Presumably in a more luxurious environment than the deliberately nerd-centric Apple Stores. All this and more is a work in progress."

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Suzy Menkes, Vogue International Editor

"I tried to absorb the vast possibilities of personalisation and a fantasy of functions. And I still don't know whether the fashion world will embrace this smartest of watches, or whether a new generation that has its phone as a timepiece will find the wristbands compelling."

"The Apple Watch could tell me to stand up and stretch - without my setting it. Let's just hope it doesn't read my blood count and then tell me to stop eating chocolate!"

"I suspect that I, as a non-digital specialist, would fail to use this device to its full capacity. But I like the idea of setting the visual aspects according to my mood. And perhaps my wardrobe. A bunch of violets to set off my purple outfits? Why not look at my watch - and dream."

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Angela Tafoya S.F. editor at Refinery29

"There's no arguing with the functionality of the piece, but what really elevates it are the details that make it lifestyle-appropriate and personalized (a bit of a departure for the brand)."

"This may be the first iteration to really take design into consideration. With three different collections that come with a plethora of interchangeable options, it's a sign that the one-size-fits-all mantra is a thing of the past. And, the possibilities for fashion-label collaborations are nearly endless. Here's why we think this unveil is about to rock the fashion world around the clock."

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Eliza Brooke staff writer at Fashionista.com

"We may have just been imagining things, but the combination of the display's smooth gradients, the leather band and the high-shine metallics gives the watch a distinctly Burberry feel. Not that Apple changed its design philosophy based on hiring Angela Ahrendts, but the vibe is there. In any case, all those luxury hires seem to have paid off."

"In case it wasn't clear, this is one of the best wearable tech offerings we've seen yet."

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Alexandra Schulman editor of British Vogue magazine

"You can wear your life on your wrist and even send the sound of your heartbeat to other wearers. You can measure your fitness all day long and check the alignment of the planets at the touch of a fingertip. It practically makes thinking redundant and it's got the fusion of cool design, likeable graphics and techno wizardry that we expect from Apple."

"As I write I'm heading back into town to indulge in a little vintage shopping before moving on to New York Fashion Week. It's been an amazing morning spent learning about the immediate future but I'm excited to spend a few hours going back to the past."

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Roseanne Morrison, fashion director for The Doneger Group 

"It's not pretty. It's very future techno as opposed to feminine sexy."

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Eric Wilson, fashion news director for InStyle Magazine

"The Apple Watch will be a status symbol to carry, it is generic in the sense of its flexibility and individualization. With the exception of the bright colours and gold trim, he added, it is "a very masculine watch."

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Julia Rubin at Racked.com 

"The high-end gold and red version is so nice, particularly because of the detached straps. It looks like a real (old!) piece that you'd actually want to wear even if it wasn't, you know, smart."

"The rubber Sport edition is cheesy, but the basic model with stainless steel links rules — it's like the '80s Casios you troll eBay for."

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