Google has announced a new range of Google Glass headsets created in collaboration with fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg's studio, DVF. The range, the first Glass headsets designed by a company outside of Google to see release, has five new frames and eight shades in two styles. The designs will go on sale from June 23rd, and will be available from online fashion retailer Net-a-Porter and Google itself. DVF-designed frames with Glass and prescriptive lenses will cost $1,725, while von Furstenberg's sunglasses plus Glass will cost $1,620. The range, made in collaboration with Google and called "DVF | Made for Glass," will be shown off by von Furstenberg at a presentation tomorrow. Many of the wearables sport von Furstenberg's DVF logo, and range in design from elegant and understated frames with clear prescription lenses, to gaudy pink-and-teal shades that wouldn't look out of place in Ke$ha's accessory drawer. Von Furstenberg detailed the new headsets in an interview with Elle magazine. Google has come under fire for the design of Glass in the past. Designer Marc Newsom called the company out, saying that he "wouldn't be seen dead wearing" Google's "pretty stupid" designs, and that Glass was like the Segway. "It's such a fantastic piece of technology but you just look like a complete dick when you drive around on it." The company has made efforts to make Glass appear less geeky and more aesthetically appealing in the last few years, with in-house attempts to create more stylish frames, and a strong presence at fashion events such as New York Fashion Week. The results have been positive — the company's Titanium collection models look similar to regular glasses — but as the wearables are still burdened by the Glass technology itself. "Google has made efforts to make Glass seem less geeky" The DVF range makes attempts to diminish the visual impact of the lipstick-sized bar that sits on top of the wearer's right eyebrow, either coloring it in the same shades as the frames themselves, or giving it a complementary hue, but the size of the device makes it obvious the wearer isn't sporting regular shades. Von Furstenberg — best known for her introduction of the wrap dress — has used Glass in her work before. Models, make-up artists, and the designer herself wore the wearable tech during a DVF runway show in 2012, at which co-founder of Google Sergey Brin was also present. Speaking to staff who were worried Glass would distract from the show's content, von Furstenberg said Glass was a historic creation. "Don't you do fashion to get the picture? This is history. This is going to make the picture." The designer says she is pleased her company was able to create the range. "I'm old enough to have danced at Studio 54, and young enough not to have missed the digital revolution."
Source - Verge
