GoKawiilYesterday, Snap debuted its new $2,195 Specs glasses. In an interview with CNBC, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel described the Specs as something the company had been working on for more than 12 years, an attempt to “bring computing into the world” and “make it more human.” He positioned them as a device to help people stay more connected to the world around them instead of looking down at their phones. People, he said, are tired of screens.
While Spiegel was speaking, I was struck by how, whenever his head moved, the light caught the lenses just so, revealing the hidden outline of the Specs’ display. It was ironic that Spiegel was talking about screen fatigue and the desire to connect, just as his very product visibly put a screen between him and the interviewer.
But mostly, I was distracted by how goofy the Specs looked on him.
Fashion is subjective, but the Specs design is objectively bold and distinctive. They’ve got chunky frames and an angular design that’s vaguely reminiscent of aviators. The arms are ginormous and look awfully heavy atop Spiegel’s ears. If there were absolutely no technology inside them, I’d say they were a statement piece, something typically worn by folks like the fashion icons Iris Apfel, Karl Lagerfeld, or even Edna Mode from The Incredibles.
To be clear, Snap is positioning these as an aspirational, high-fashion gadget. You only have to look at the company’s global advertising campaign, shot by fashion photographer Steven Meisel, known for his work with Vogue and several haute couture houses like Versace, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, and Loewe. The models wearing the Specs? Big-name models like Kaia Gerber and Hoyeon, as well as basketball player Jimmy Butler and musicians Jack Harlow and Imogen Heap. Basically, all people known for their unique or eclectic sense of style. The problem is that the number one rule of wearable tech is that the device has to be comfortable — and stylistically versatile — enough for everyday wear. And on that front, Snap is setting these devices up to be worn by very few people.
I firmly believe anyone can pull off bold fashion with enough charisma and self-confidence. But in almost a decade of covering smart glasses, I’ve repeatedly seen that the bolder the design, the less confident the average Joe feels wearing them. Part of why the original Google Glass failed was that the design was too reminiscent of a DragonBall Z scouter or a cyberpunk dystopia. It made you easy to spot and easy to ridicule as a glasshole. Likewise, one of the main complaints I heard about the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses was that the design was too chunky — and those borrowed a familiar, classic Wayfarer silhouette. Part of why the Ray-Ban Meta glasses work so well now is that they’re discreet and look like an ordinary pair of glasses. That’s also likely why the forthcoming Google and Samsung Android XR glasses are partnering with both Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. Warby Parker offers a stylish but low-key option, while Gentle Monster is available for folks with more avant-garde fashion sensibilities.
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