Google’s smart glasses ambitions might be getting a luxury makeover. Kering CEO Luca de Meo told Reuters that the Gucci owner plans to launch AI-powered smart glasses under the Gucci brand in partnership with Google in 2027.
If this is true, Gucci would become the first major luxury label to jump directly into the new wave of AI eyewear. And this wearable might not be that far away, as the reports hint at the Gucci smart glasses dropping sometime next year.
Why is Google teaming up with Gucci?
The big reason might be pretty simple: smart glasses still need to look good if they want to go mainstream. Reuters says de Meo sees eyewear and jewelry as key growth areas for Kering, and this Google partnership fits neatly into that wider strategy. With style being half the battle in the smart glasses market, the Gucci-Google collaboration is the direct answer to the Ray-Ban smart glasses developed by Meta and EssilorLuxottica.
Why luxury is the real angle here
What makes this more interesting than just another wearable rumor is the branding. Google has flirted with smart glasses before, but Gucci brings a very different set of expectations. This is not a nerdy enthusiast-first gadget. If Kering’s plan is serious, Google’s AI eyewear could turn into something more premium and be visibly stylish rather than merely functional. That could also make the product easier to want, even if it also makes it much more expensive.
For now, the details are thin. The report doesn’t reveal specs, pricing, software features, or even what the glasses will actually be called. The key confirmed element is that de Meo told Reuters the glasses are planned for next year and that Google is the tech partner. Everything else, including how “smart” they will be and whether they focus more on AI assistance, audio, camera features, or live translation, is still unclear. This is also not the first time Gucci has partnered with a tech brand, and just a while back, the brand partnered up with Oura for a premium smart ring.