6 ms·

Google Glass Graces the Runway at New York Fashion Week

34 points by skennedy 14y ago

therealarmen 14y ago
Google Glass are the least conspicous item in the outfits! Seriously, they've done a really nice job of slimming them down. I walked by Sergey in Palo Alto last week and barely even noticed that he was wearing them.
- loceng 14y ago
  I didn't even notice the Google Glasses in this photo...
jeremyrwelch 14y ago
For those of you not in NYC, Fashion Week takes over the city twice a year, and these runway shows are huge productions. Lots of money & time goes into not only the clothes, but also the runway events themselves - especially with the major designers like this chick Diane von Furstenberg (wife of Barry Diller, founder / CEO of web giant IAC). Lots of celebrities show up, and photos from the events show up all over the press. Hardly the place I'd expect to see Google Glasses and Sergey. Which is why this is so interesting. Seems Google is making a push for Glasses to be "hip", and not just a toy for us geeks and hackers. Not only did Sergey sit on the front row, but the models & designers wore Glasses during the show, and Sergey walked with the designers at the end. This last bit is a rare thing for any of the regular celebrity attendees to do, much less Sergey Brin who I doubt has ever been to a runway show before. Think of it like Sergey attending a major opera or orchestra performance, and then being brought up on stage at the very end when the conductor / singer / director is giving their final bow.
- Peroni 14y ago
  Can't remember if it was Sergey himself or someone here on HN however there was a comment made not long ago that all it would take is for someone like Will.I.Am or other 'cool' celeb to be snapped wearing them out and about and Google Glass is instantly cool as a fashion statement. Given the massive leap in technology I'll stand behind almost any PR move Google make to get this tech mainstream.
  - molmalo 14y ago
    Like it or not, this is how fashion works. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? And young people like to imitate their idols. Just make a few artists and a few athletes wear this product, and people will buy it.
    - moondowner 14y ago
      That's also pretty much part of the Beats Audio success. They are featured in tons of music videos, movies and celebrities are spotted wearing them all the time.
      - onetimeuse001 14y ago
        Beats Audio success is also due to need. I have two laptops with Beats Audio, and presumably they got a few bucks from each. When buying them I wondered if there's something special about the speakers and probably made me more likely to buy them, but all laptops have speakers anyway. Glasses are another animal, both price and the cool factor are hurdles. Not cool > http://www.freetechnologyadvise.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2-bluetooth-headset.jpg http://www.freetechnologyadvise.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/...
    - sree_nair 14y ago
      Hmm. Imagine Usain bolt to running with these glasses.
Futurebot 14y ago
For anyone wondering if there's any precedent for this sort of thing outside of movies and video games, then the answer is yes. In the Industrial/Cybergoth subcultures (and before that Raver culture), which have taken a great deal of inspiration sci-fi and art by Geiger, it's something you've been seeing for roughly 15 years. It's also something you'll see in Anime/Cosplay circles, and more recently, in Steampunk. Edit: Fashionable Googler: https://plus.google.com/+JennyMurphy/posts https://plus.google.com/+JennyMurphy/posts
Jabbles 14y ago
The thought occurred to me that this is a really weird situation for a technology to be in. Google Glass exists in a kind of public beta. We know it's coming, we've seen some impressive stuff with it, we know it could be huge or a flop. It's possible to buy a pair right now if you really want, but it's not "ready". What other products have been released this way?
- bonzoesc 14y ago
  We've seen people wearing it and a video mock-up of what it could be. Goofy headwear and motion graphics aren't really "impressive stuff" though.
- beagle3 14y ago
  > It's possible to buy a pair right now if you really want, but it's not "ready". You can? Where? How? For how much?
  - freehunter 14y ago
    I think he's referring to the developer program. If I remember correctly, it was something like $1500.
dzuc 14y ago
End of the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_PU60bxRoHA#t=512s http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v...

34 points by skennedy 14y ago

Google Glass are the least conspicous item in the outfits! Seriously, they've done a really nice job of slimming them down. I walked by Sergey in Palo Alto last week and barely even noticed that he was wearing them.

loceng 14y ago
I didn't even notice the Google Glasses in this photo...

jeremyrwelch 14y ago

For those of you not in NYC, Fashion Week takes over the city twice a year, and these runway shows are huge productions. Lots of money & time goes into not only the clothes, but also the runway events themselves - especially with the major designers like this chick Diane von Furstenberg (wife of Barry Diller, founder / CEO of web giant IAC). Lots of celebrities show up, and photos from the events show up all over the press. Hardly the place I'd expect to see Google Glasses and Sergey. Which is why this is so interesting. Seems Google is making a push for Glasses to be "hip", and not just a toy for us geeks and hackers. Not only did Sergey sit on the front row, but the models & designers wore Glasses during the show, and Sergey walked with the designers at the end. This last bit is a rare thing for any of the regular celebrity attendees to do, much less Sergey Brin who I doubt has ever been to a runway show before. Think of it like Sergey attending a major opera or orchestra performance, and then being brought up on stage at the very end when the conductor / singer / director is giving their final bow.

Peroni 14y ago
Can't remember if it was Sergey himself or someone here on HN however there was a comment made not long ago that all it would take is for someone like Will.I.Am or other 'cool' celeb to be snapped wearing them out and about and Google Glass is instantly cool as a fashion statement. Given the massive leap in technology I'll stand behind almost any PR move Google make to get this tech mainstream.
- molmalo 14y ago
  Like it or not, this is how fashion works. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? And young people like to imitate their idols. Just make a few artists and a few athletes wear this product, and people will buy it.
  - moondowner 14y ago
    That's also pretty much part of the Beats Audio success. They are featured in tons of music videos, movies and celebrities are spotted wearing them all the time.
    - onetimeuse001 14y ago
      Beats Audio success is also due to need. I have two laptops with Beats Audio, and presumably they got a few bucks from each. When buying them I wondered if there's something special about the speakers and probably made me more likely to buy them, but all laptops have speakers anyway. Glasses are another animal, both price and the cool factor are hurdles. Not cool > http://www.freetechnologyadvise.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2-bluetooth-headset.jpg http://www.freetechnologyadvise.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/...
  - sree_nair 14y ago
    Hmm. Imagine Usain bolt to running with these glasses.

Futurebot 14y ago

For anyone wondering if there's any precedent for this sort of thing outside of movies and video games, then the answer is yes. In the Industrial/Cybergoth subcultures (and before that Raver culture), which have taken a great deal of inspiration sci-fi and art by Geiger, it's something you've been seeing for roughly 15 years. It's also something you'll see in Anime/Cosplay circles, and more recently, in Steampunk. Edit: Fashionable Googler: https://plus.google.com/+JennyMurphy/posts https://plus.google.com/+JennyMurphy/posts

Jabbles 14y ago

The thought occurred to me that this is a really weird situation for a technology to be in. Google Glass exists in a kind of public beta. We know it's coming, we've seen some impressive stuff with it, we know it could be huge or a flop. It's possible to buy a pair right now if you really want, but it's not "ready". What other products have been released this way?

bonzoesc 14y ago
We've seen people wearing it and a video mock-up of what it could be. Goofy headwear and motion graphics aren't really "impressive stuff" though.
beagle3 14y ago
> It's possible to buy a pair right now if you really want, but it's not "ready". You can? Where? How? For how much?
- freehunter 14y ago
  I think he's referring to the developer program. If I remember correctly, it was something like $1500.

dzuc 14y ago

End of the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_PU60bxRoHA#t=512s http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v...