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Business of Fashion
4 days ago
- Business
- Business of Fashion
Big Tech and Fashion Think They've Finally Figured Out Smart Glasses
Technofuturists have touted smart glasses as the next big device off and on for more than a decade. They were wrong, often embarrassingly so, because wearables makers were either laser-focused on the underlying technology at the expense of style — epitomised by the dorky Google Glass, which even a cameo in a Diane Von Furstenberg runway show couldn't make cool — or simply bolted half-baked features on existing products. In the last few months, we've seen mounting evidence that tech and fashion are finally rowing in the same direction. This week, Meta bought a minority stake in the eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica for $3.5 billion, doubling down on the unexpected success of the two companies' smart glasses collaboration, which began with Ray-Ban and now includes Oakley. Meta is also reportedly planning an eyewear line with Prada, whose eyewear EssilorLuxottica holds a 10-year license to produce. In May, Google — already back in the smart glasses game via a deal with Samsung — announced partnerships with Warby Parker, Gentle Monster and Kering Eyewear, which makes glasses for Kering brands including Gucci and Bottega Veneta, as well as other labels such as Cartier, Alaïa and Puma. The deal with Warby Parker included an investment of $150 million by Google, while its tie up with Gentle Monster reportedly involved a $100 million investment, though neither company has confirmed the news. Apple, which knows a thing or two about making wearables fashionable with its Apple Watch, is gearing up to release its own smart glasses in 2026, according to Bloomberg, while Chinese tech giant Xiaomi recently unveiled its version of the technology. These are major investments, and the market is brimming with optimism. Warby Parker's stock is up by more than one-quarter since the Google investment was announced. But after so many prominent failures, why do tech giants, fashion executives and investors believe this time will be any different? The clearest reason is the surprise success of the second generation of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which debuted in late 2023 and as of February had sold more than 2 million pairs. The company plans to scale production to 10 million units annually by the end of next year. Those results have created confidence that consumers will actually buy smart glasses if they're done right. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses offer a number of functionalities, from capturing photos and videos to live streaming on Instagram, while being able to maintain the classic look of Ray-Ban styles like the Wayfarer. Meta has also augmented the glasses with AI features, such as live translation of a few languages, the ability to identify landmarks or get directions and general informational searches. Those capabilities point to another cause for the rash of activity: 'It's a bit of a race to leverage the AI models,' said TD Cowen analyst Oliver Chen. The expectation appears to be that, as AI advances, AI-powered smart glasses will be able to add new abilities to make them more useful — and therefore more desirable to consumers who will get all sorts of features in a package that finally just looks like a regular pair of sunglasses. The latest smart glasses boom could fizzle out just like last time, and the time before. After all, it's still a novelty to see someone wearing Meta Ray-Bans in public. But unlike the Google Glass, you don't feel secondhand embarrassment for the wearer. THE NEWS IN BRIEF FASHION, BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY () Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on Japan and South Korea in August. The duties, which are set to begin on Aug. 1, are largely in line with the rates Trump had initially imposed. The announcement was the first of an expected wave of trade deals this month. Amazon Prime Day sales plunged 41 percent on the first day of its four-day event. Preliminary results indicated the e-commerce giant's gamble on doubling the duration of its summer sales event didn't pan out. The poor results have become a sign of cautious consumer sentiment as President Trump's trade war pans out. Italy's Cucinelli posted a 10.7 percent increase in first half revenues. The sales, which totalled €684 million, slightly beat analyst expectations by and rose 10 percent in the Americas and 13 percent in Asia, bolstered by double-digit growth in China. Levi foresaw robust revenue growth mostly offsetting tariff impact. Revenue for the quarter ending June 1 rose 6 percent to $1.4 billion, beating analyst expectations. The denim maker raised its revenue outlook between 1 and 2 percent for the current fiscal year. S&P cut Saks' credit rating over its new financing package. The department store operator's credit rating has fallen 10 rungs below investment grade to CC, a downgrade that the agency said is in line with its view that Saks' $600 million financing package is 'tantamount to a default.' Shein filed for a Hong Kong IPO to save its London listing. With the filing, the fast-fashion giant hopes to increase pressure on British regulators to approve its planned London debut, according to the Financial Times. If the UK Financial Conduct Authority accepts the Shein IPO, London would reportedly still be Shein's preferred exchange. Canada Goose's private equity backer weighed a stake sale. Controlling shareholder Bain Capital is working with advisers as it contemplates selling part or all of its holding in the luxury parka maker. Ralph Lauren's CEO sees 'resilient' demand amid tariff uncertainty. Patrice Louvet said demand for the American luxury brand's core products including cable-knit sweaters remains strong enough to offset cautious consumer spending. The UK's Mulberry raised $27 million from top investors as revenue dropped. The brand reported a 21 percent drop in annual revenue on Thursday, but raised capital with the support of its two largest shareholders, Chalice and Frasers. Frasers executive James France also joined Mulberry's board. Uniqlo owner's profit missed estimates on weak China sales. Fast Retailing Co. reported third-quarter operating profit of 146.7 billion yen ($1 billion) in the three months ending in May, trailing analyst estimates of 150 billion yen. Revenue in China declined by 5 percent off weaker consumer sentiment. The UK arrested four people linked to M&S and Harrods cyberattacks. The British National Crime Agency arrested three teenage males and one 20-year-old female in the West Midlands and London on suspicion of several offences, including violations of the Computer Misuse Act. Jane Birkin's original Hermès Birkin sold for $10 million. The sale at Sotheby's in Paris to a private collector in Japan broke the global record for most valuable handbag ever sold at auction, previously set in 2021 by a $513,000 Christie's sale of the Hermès Himalaya Kelly. Claire's considers bankruptcy for US operations. The tween retailer has been working with Houlihan Lokey Inc. to strengthen its finances while weighing a sale of all or part of its operations. Amina Muaddi opened its first store. The new location for the seven-year-old women's footwear and accessories brand is at 6 Avenue Montaigne in Paris, where customers can also purchase a capsule collection launched by the brand to commemorate the opening. Birkenstock cracked down on fakes in India. After the German brand filed an infringement lawsuit in the Delhi High Court in May against footwear traders, four factories and two unnamed individuals, Indian court-appointed legal representatives inspected small-scale factories in recent weeks to seize counterfeit Birkenstock footwear. Heron Preston bought back his brand from New Guards Group. The designer has reacquired full, exclusive rights over his namesake label, which launched in 2017, from the Farfetch-owned holding company. Financial terms were not disclosed. Victoria & Albert Museum will stage a Schiaparelli exhibition in London. 'Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art' will open on March 21 next year and include over 200 items, including Elsa Schiaparelli's surrealist dresses made in collaboration with Salvador Dalí. Current creative director Daniel Roseberry's works will also be shown. THE BUSINESS OF BEAUTY (Courtesy) Ulta Beauty acquired Space NK. Ulta announced Thursday that it has purchased the British beauty retailer from its previous owner Manzanita Capital for an undisclosed sum, though previous reports have valued the company at upwards of $300 million. The deal will give the American beauty conglomerate access into the UK market. Trump said pharmaceutical tariffs could reach 200 percent. The US president added that he would give drugmakers roughly a year to negotiate. The Trump administration has posited that heavy reliance on foreign production of medicine is a national security threat, but drugmakers are concerned duties could increase the chance of medication shortage. PEOPLE (Courtesy) Michael Burke was tapped to lead LVMH Americas. The former Louis Vuitton chief executive and LVMH veteran will move to New York to begin his role as chairman and CEO of LVMH Americas, tasked with 'representing and promoting the best interests of the group in North and South America,' the company said. Nike replaced Converse's CEO in a bid to reverse its sales slump. Nike VP and general manager Aaron Cain, a 21-year veteran, will take the reins at Converse to help revive its sales. He succeeds Jared Carver, who is exiting after two years as CEO. Compiled by Jessica Kwon.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Stars shrug off protesters as they jet into Venice for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez wedding bonanza
The ultra-wealthy are descending on Venice ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez 's highly-anticipated nuptials, despite raging protests in the city. The Amazon billionaire and his bride-to-be are said to have invited 200 people to their three-day Italian wedding, which is due to kick off on Thursday and end on Saturday. The star-studded guest list including Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Oprah Winfrey, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, and Kim Kardashian, who was recently seen on Sanchez's bachelorette. Other high-profile guests have already landed in the City of Canals, including US First Daughter Ivanka Trump and her family, as well as fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg. Ivanka, 43, sported a sand-tone two-piece set with red accents from pricey designer La DoubleJ for the occasion. The top, which retails for $550, features a cropped length and a bold red embroidery pattern. She donned the matching $620 skirt, which hit her at the knee and featured the same embroidery pattern as the top. In total, the ensemble comes out to a whopping $1,170. Her husband Jared Kushner, 44, opted for a linen shirt and his usual khakis for the boat ride to their Italian dwellings. The couple were accompanied by their three children, Arabella Rose, 13, Joseph Frederick, 10, and Theodore James, eight. Meanwhile, von Furstenberg appeared to be in a jovial mood as she left Venice Airport by boat, snapping photos of her surroundings as she traveled. The 78-year-old designer wore a multi-colored, striped suit for the journey. Many guests are expected to arrive to the lavish wedding via private jet, with at least 95 planes having already requested to land at Venice's Marco Polo Airport. Other guests, like American Investor Bill Miller and billionaire Shahid Khan, are arriving to the ceremony via yacht. Miller's $70million boat was seen moored off the coast of the Italian city. Bezos' superyacht, Koru, which includes a bronze goddess statue that shares similarities with his lover Sanchez, is also in the area, moored off the coast of Croatia, which is located across from Italy in the Mediterranean. The pair threw a foam party onboard the vessel on Friday. The $500 million superyacht is where Bezos popped the question to Sanchez in May 2023. However, their arrival in Venice has been far from smooth sailing and the couple is being plagued by protesters who are furious the needs of local residents are allegedly being sidelined to make way for wealthy tourists. Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg was also seen arriving at the Venice Airport Diane von Furstenberg appeared to be in a jovial mood as she left the Venice Airport on a boat. The 78-year-old designer wore a multi-colored striped suit and seemed to be taken by her surroundings as she snapped photos on her phone Bezos is worth around $224.6 billion and is thought to be spending tens of millions on his wedding. 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax,' one gigantic banner read in St. Mark's Square. Greenpeace and the UK-based collective Everyone Hates Elon have joined protests in Venice attempting to disrupt, or even prevent, the planned wedding celebrations of Amazon founder Bezos this week. 'Jeff Bezos is the second-richest man in the world yet is reported to pay a 1.1 percent true tax rate,' the two groups said in a joint statement. 'The multi-million-dollar wedding is reportedly happening over three days, with the wedding ring alone worth as much as $5million.' A spokesperson from Everyone Hates Elon said: 'As governments talk about hard choices and struggle to fund public services, Jeff Bezos can afford to shut down half a city for days on end just to get married.' Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia have spoken out in favor of the nuptials, which have been dubbed, 'the wedding of the century,' pointing out that the celebrations are expected to bring $23-34million to local businesses. 'This is a city that handles 150,000 people a day,' Zaia told Italian daily Corriere della Sera. 'George Clooney, François-Henri Pinault and Salma Hayek, Alexandre Arnault, Elton John and many others got married here.' Bezos has also pledged to make sizable charity donations, including $1.16million to Corila - an academic consortium dedicated to studying Venice's lagoon ecosystem - according to Corriere della Sera and Italy's ANSA news agency. Earlier this month, anti-Bezos banners were hung in Venice from St. Mark's Tower with 'Bezos' in blue capital letters and a red X over it as part of a 'No Space for Bezos' campaign, a play on Bezos' Blue Origin spaceflight venture. A statue of a human body covered in dollar bills with what appears to be Bezos' head was spotted in Venice as part of the protests It is not the only scandal clouding their nuptials, as guest Orlando Bloom is expected to attend by himself sans his popstar wife Katy Perry, who is currently on tour in Australia. It is rumored the actor will debut as a 'single man' at the billionaire's wedding. A tour guide also accidentally l eaked some of the guest list, which revealed that Sanchez's go-to nail artist won't be in attendance. Beatrice Bavato, a freelance tour guide, was photographed as she waited for guests and staff from London-based wedding planners Lanza & Baucina in the arrivals hall at the lagoon city's airport. The clipboard she was holding listed names, flight numbers and hotel destinations for some of the 200 guests due to arrive at the iconic Italian city in the next few days. The list also suggests that the bride suffered a last-minute stressful cancellation: her first choice nail artist is marked in biro as a 'no show'. Among those listed on Beatrice's clipboard were Mike and Beth George arriving on a British Airways flight from London before being transferred to the Al Redentore luxury apartment complex. George was a former Amazon executive who became president of the Bezos Academy, a network of tuition-free preschools founded by Jeff Bezos, and he previously led the Echo and Alexa teams at Amazon. Pictured: Protesters display a banner reading 'No Space for Bezos!' on the Rialto Bridge New York-based Jewelry Designer Sandra Leong and her philanthropist husband Robert Gelfond, were marked arrived on a Delta Airlines flight from the Empire State. Others on the guest list include Elana Jassy, wife of Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. The lavish event and its extensive guest list will mean beefed-up security, closed streets, monitored airspace and a strong police presence. Police were already seen doing underwater checks ahead of the events. Bezos' superyacht will be moored at San Basilio – the closest it can get to the city center due to its fragile ecosystem – and be in sight of the Hotel Cipriani, where many will be lodged. It is thought Bezos, Sanchez and their immediate families will stay on the nine-bedroom yacht with other guests split between the Cipriani and Aman hotels nearby. Wedding experts Kunal Madan, the CEO and Founder of and Zoe Buke, from told the couple's wedding will likely cost as much as $15million to $20million - depending on venue exclusivity, location planning, and celebrity headcount. A large amount of the provisions are coming from local businesses, including Rosa Salva, the city's oldest and most revered bakery. The couple also suffered a major setback after reportedly being forced to change their venue at the last second. The original plan was for a huge party at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia on Saturday night, but it has now been moved to another venue in the Arsenale area of the city, according to local media. Il Gazzettino said the days leading to wedding would be 'tension filled' and the move to the venue was due to it being 'easier to control' as large scale protests are expected. But they also added 'the winds of war and rising global tensions between the US and Iran' were also being taken into consideration - there is a large American airbase at Aviano just 50 miles away. On Tuesday a meeting is due to take place between local authorities and police and security teams to discuss the wedding.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Diane von Furstenberg goes solo in Venice ahead of Jeff and Lauren's wedding after her husband came out as gay
Diane von Furstenberg has arrived solo in Venice, Italy, for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez 's wedding - marking her first public appearance since her husband came out as gay. Photographers caught the acclaimed fashion designer, 78, exiting the airport in the Italian city and getting into a water taxi on Tuesday. Diane appeared to be alone, walking alongside an airport security guard - with her billionaire husband Barry Diller nowhere in sight. It comes one month after Barry, 83, made the shocking revelation that he is gay, despite being married to Diane for 24 years. Barry, a renowned media exec who previously served as CEO for both Fox and Paramount, opened up about his homosexuality in a soul-baring article penned for New York magazine in early May. But he also insisted that his romance with Diane was genuine, describing their intense passion in the early years of their romance in detail and branding their romance as a 'ferocious love.' Even so, Barry was notably not with Diane as she touched down in Venice ahead of her longtime pals Jeff and Lauren's nuptials. The Amazon founder and his former journalist girlfriend are set to wed in Venice this Friday in what's expected to be a multi-day wedding extravaganza attended by a slew of famous faces. Diane looked fashionable for the outing, donning a bright blue pants and blazer combo adorned with pink and green stripes, which was made by her own brand of course. While it's unclear how much the ensemble originally cost since it's not available anymore, the jacket resells online for $518. She paired the look with a black top and colorful sandals. The designer seemed in great spirits, stopping to take a snap of Venice before she got onto the awaiting boat. Staff on the water vessel helped the fashion mogul on board by holding both of her hands as she stepped down into it. Her auburn tresses were left in wild waves around her face and she accessorized with some dark shades and a black purse. In his shocking New York magazine piece last month, Barry discussed how his and Diane's early passion was so intense they were once caught having sex by billionaire music mogul David Geffen during a visit his house in the 70s. The two enjoyed an on-and-off relationship for the next several decades before they finally wed in 2001. Barry was notably not with Diane as she touched down in Venice ahead of her longtime pals Jeff and Lauren's nuptials Diane looked fashionable for the outing, donning a bright blue pants and shirt jacket combo with pink and green strips on it, which she paired with a black top and colorful sandals She seemed in great spirits, stopping to take a snap of Venice before she got onto the awaiting boat Her red tresses were left in wild waves around her face and she accessorized with some dark shades and a black purse The Amazon founder and his former journalist girlfriend are set to wed in Venice this Friday, in what's expected to be a multi-day wedding extravaganza attended by a slew of famous faces Staff on the water vessel helped the fashion mogul onto the boat by holding both of her hands as she stepped into it During the time, many speculated as to whether Barry was gay - something he himself said he accepted early on in his life, during childhood. Still, he kept it close to his chest during his rise as a media executive, helped by successful stints at Paramount, ABC, and Twentieth Century Fox. Diane told the Times of his revelation: 'He's been private all his life, but not with me. So for me, it doesn't feel strange.' 'All I can tell you is Barry and I have had an incredible life, love for 50 years. We have been lovers, friends, married, everything. 'Today, he opened to the world,' she added. 'To me, he opened 50 years ago.' Jeff and Lauren have reportedly rented out the Venetian island San Giorgio Maggiore for six days for their glamorous wedding. An insider told the Daily Mail that the island is 'off-limits to visitors' from June 24 to June 29.
Washington Post
19-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Washington Post
A century ago, this designer set women free. And gave them pockets.
Claire McCardell, forgotten by too many, is the ingenious designer who understood that women could be comfortable and stylish. Imagine that. Naturally, she was an American, born in Frederick, Maryland, in 1905. McCardell put women in ballet slippers, denim, leggings, modern bathing suits, dolman sleeves, leotards and wrap dresses (decades before Diane von Furstenberg). She gave women pockets, which had long been deemed unseemly in female attire, even empowering and dangerous, as they could conceal love letters, money, a pistol. Nobel Prizes have been bestowed for less.
Irish Times
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
The Hollywood billionaire who smuggled a stray dog from Ireland and cloned her five times
For more than half a century, Barry Diller was one of the most feared men in Hollywood. When he ran 20th Century Fox, he once got so frustrated at an employee, he hurled a video tape at a wall. (The employee put a frame around the hole.) The American billionaire media executive, who has also headed up Paramount, IAC and Expedia, has won contentious lawsuits against competitors and close friends alike. Even his friend Oprah Winfrey said she was afraid to meet Diller the first time they had dinner. But with the publication of his new memoir, Who Knew, the world has learned that the gruff, terse, domineering Diller has a softer side. In the book, the 83-year-old mogul came out as gay, but also writes vividly about his love for his wife, the famed fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg – 'the miracle of my life' – whom he married in 2001, and her children and grandchildren. Diller calls them his family. He, who had distant parents and an abusive, heroin-addicted brother, also has several passages in the book describing how he cried at tough moments, both personal and professional. Nothing, however, makes Diller turn to mush like talking about his beloved late dog, Shannon, and her five cloned 'daughters' (though technically they're closer to replicas). READ MORE 'They're all little Irish girls,' Diller gushes. The billionaire hates talking about himself, but he is happy to talk to The Irish Times about Shannon and her clones – which are objects of fascination in Hollywood. 'How can you even describe what you love?' Diller says about Shannon, his late Jack Russell terrier, when asked to explain why he was so infatuated with her. 'She was a super dog. She was just the loveliest, most adventurous – she was a wondrous little animal.' Barry Diller's dogs Shannon and Evita when they met in 2013 Diller first saw Shannon when he was on holidays in Ireland in 1999. He cannot recall the town's name, but says it was 'south of Shannon, about 30 minutes by helicopter'. After having lunch in a small restaurant, he exited and saw his future pup on the street. She began following him around. He inquired about her owner and was told she belonged to a waitress. But when he saw the dog at another restaurant down the road the following day, he inquired again and was told the nameless puppy had no owner. 'I scooped her up,' says Diller. He was flying out that day. In an instant, the dog went from lonely and homeless in rural Ireland to a cosseted traveller on a private jet with a life most people can only dream of. En route back to the United States, they had a layover in Shannon Airport, and the puppy was nameless no more. He jokes that he told Shannon to hide in the back of the jet until they cleared customs. 'She made it to New York as an undocumented immigrant,' says Diller. They lived together at the von Dillers' Beverly Hills mansion until her death in 2014. It was a canine Cinderella story. Barry Diller with his dog. Photograph: Diane von Furstenburg Instagram The year before she died, some of Shannon's tissue was biopsied and shipped to a biotech company in South Korea. Upon arriving it was injected into an enucleated egg from a canine surrogate donor, thus becoming a cloned embryo, which was then inserted back into the surrogate. Six months later, the first clones were born, and delivered back to Diller in the United States. First came Dina (a play on DNA) and Evita, then Tess in 2016, Luna in 2021 and Bossie and Birdie in 2024. Diller says they all have the 'ethos' of Shannon, and that their personalities are only 'very slightly different'. Diller took Dina back to Ireland to 'explore her roots'. She lived a full life, living between Beverly Hills, their compound in Connecticut, the Carlyle Hotel in New York's Upper East Side, and their Art Deco yacht Eos. But she met an unfortunate end while in Costa Rica, hiking with Diller and von Fürstenberg. She was eaten by a crocodile. 'A country I'll never return to,' says Diller bitterly. Diane Von Furstenberg and Barry Diller arrive on the carpet for the 2023 Met Gala. Photograph: EPA Diller was early to the animal cloning game, even among those who can afford the six-figure-per-clone price tag. Barbra Streisand cloned her Coton de Tulear in 2017, but chose a cheaper cloning service. Celebrities from Simon Cowell to Paris Hilton have publicly mused about doing the same with their own canine companions. Does Diller consider himself a trendsetter? 'We've given endless, endless details to people about our cloning experience, when they ask about it,' he says. It has been said that von Fürstenberg murmurs to friends that she is sure Diller will clone her, too. He writes in his memoir that she is the only woman he has ever loved. Does he plan on creating a carbon-copy wife to match his carbon-copy dogs? 'Of course,' he says, laughing.
