Google Backs Gentle Monster in $100M Deal to Reinvent Smart Eyewear

Google's recent action reveals insights into the emerging competition in the smart glasses sector.

Image: Gentle Monste

In a bold move blending Silicon Valley innovation with Korean street-luxury aesthetics, Google has acquired a 4% stake — worth approximately $100 million USD — in Seoul-based eyewear disruptor Gentle Monster. The investment follows the tech giant’s newly announced partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker under its Android XRplatform, aimed at designing next-generation smart glasses with a sharper fashion-forward edge.

The decision marks Google’s renewed ambition in the augmented reality (AR) wearables space — one that’s becoming increasingly competitive with Meta’s rapid rollout of AI-powered glasses in collaboration with Ray-Ban and Oakley. With this move, Google is sending a clear message: it’s no longer just about function — it’s about fashion, identity, and the future of tech-integrated living.

Gentle Monster: From Seoul Cool to Silicon Valley Darling

Founded in 2011, Gentle Monster has emerged as a cult fashion eyewear label known for bold, unconventional designs and experimental retail spaces. With past collaborations including Maison Margiela and Mugler, the brand has consistently pushed the boundary between art and fashion. It’s also the youngest and arguably most daring player in Google's XR cohort, which also includes heritage brands like Warby Parker.

For Google, this isn't just a style statement — it's a strategic edge. Unlike earlier ventures like Google Glass (2012), which faltered under criticism for clunky design and privacy concerns, the new approach hinges on making smart eyewear wearable, desirable, and culturally embedded. Gentle Monster, with its avant-garde sensibility and global Gen Z following, could be the perfect canvas for this tech renaissance.

Smart Glasses, Reimagined

With its December launch of Android XR, Google reintroduced itself to the AR hardware race — this time with sleeker ambitions. Gentle Monster echoed this sentiment in its May Instagram announcement, calling the collaboration “a pivotal step in the evolution of smart eyewear into essential lifestyle fashion items.” The company added that “creativity and sophistication” are now non-negotiables when tech meets daily life.

While no official release date has been confirmed, the implications are already resonating. This partnership hints at a future where augmented intelligence is seamlessly built into the accessories we already love — with Gentle Monster perhaps leading the charge beyond eyewear, into a broader lifestyle-tech space.