Is Meta gearing up to launch a Prada edition of its AI smart glasses? Speculation is swirling after Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, were photographed in the front row at Prada's Fall/Winter 2026 Fashion Week show in Milan. The Meta CEO was seen conversing with his neighbor, Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada's chief merchandising officer and the son of lead designer Miuccia Prada.
While Zuckerberg has focused on refining his public persona in recent years, including a wardrobe upgrade, his attendance likely had less to do with fashion and more with a potential upcoming partnership with the iconic brand.
CNBC reported last summer that Prada-branded AI glasses were in development. Meta, however, has not made any official announcement regarding such a collaboration. (The company has not responded to requests for comment about Zuckerberg's presence at the show.)
Surprise guests at Prada pic.twitter.com/BPHqLo9oaW
— Vanessa Friedman (@VVFriedman) February 26, 2026
EssilorLuxottica, the French-Italian eyewear giant behind Ray-Ban, has been Meta's partner on these tech-enabled glasses since their initial launch under the Ray-Ban Stories name. The company recently announced it sold over 7 million AI glasses in 2025, a significant jump from 2 million the previous year. These sales encompass both the Ray-Ban Meta and the more athletically-oriented Oakley Meta models.
A Prada AI glasses collaboration appears to be the logical next step. Prada and EssilorLuxottica recently renewed their licensing agreement for Prada and Miu Miu branded eyewear for the next decade. (The original deal, set to expire at the end of 2025, was extended through 2030 with an option for renewal until 2035.)
Prada AI glasses would allow Meta to enter the high-fashion segment, a space its current Ray-Ban and Oakley models don't occupy. Positioning the glasses as a luxury accessory could also enhance Meta's overall brand perception.
However, the launch comes amid growing consumer skepticism towards perceived surveillance devices, evidenced by recent backlash against products like Ring doorbells and Flock cameras. This trend may influence Meta's decision-making, particularly regarding rumored plans to add facial-recognition features to its glasses, as reported by The New York Times. The report sparked criticism for a product that had seen modest success and even inspired a developer to create an app that alerts users when someone wearing AI glasses is nearby.
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