As a techno-geeky type, I know about Intel. But I confess that I am not familiar with one of Intel’s newest design partners: the Luxottica Group. You may not recognize the company either, but some of their eye-wear brands might ring a bell: Ray-Ban, Oakley, or Vogue Eyewear. They also produce license brands for Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Coach, Donna Karan, Prada, Tiffany, and Versace. (Even I recognize those brands, and I’m far from being a fashionista!)
Last week, Intel and the Luxottica Group announced a multi-year collaboration with the idea of creating smart eye-wear that is high fashion and still high tech. While Google Glass may have a certain “geek chic” it does not deliver a look that most style-conscious consumers would choose. The goal is to anticipate and even drive the change in eye-wear over the coming years. Intel will provide the technical know-how to figure out how to deliver new functionality in glasses created by Luxottica’s designers. This should result in eye-wear that is intelligent and beautiful.
The announcement came at the New York Times International Luxury Conference in Miami. The first products to arise from this new partnership are expected to ship in 2015.
