Gucci & Louis Vuitton Take Over NYC & Warby Parker's Specs Go Smart With Google in This Week's Top Fashion News

Summary

• Powered by Matthieu Blazy, Chanel posted record 2025 revenue gains, while Gucci took over Times Square to debut its “GucciCore” collection.

• Grace Wales Bonner added John‑Gabriel Harrison of A.P.C. to Hermès’ menswear team, and Bad Bunny dropped a massive 150-piece collection with Zara.

• Palace Skateboards designed a garden-inspired flagship in Shanghai, while Warby Parker collaborated with tech giants Google and Samsung on intelligent eyewear.

Demna Takes Over Times Square With the Debut of “GucciCore” for Cruise 2027

Gucci

Gucci staged an ambitious takeover of New York City’s Times Square to debut its Cruise 2027 collection, dubbed “GucciCore.” Marking over 70 years since the house established its first international storefront in Manhattan, creative director Demna used the iconic plaza’s digital billboards before turning the concrete pavement into a runway. The presentation served as a love letter to NYC archetypes, sending models down the street as Wall Street stockbrokers in sharp pinstripes, L.E.S. skaters in relaxed denim, and uptown socialites draped in leather duvet stoles. The garments balanced functional utility with luxury, introducing metal-tipped boots with Horsebit hardware alongside sequined alta moda details. Fronted by a star-studded audience, the show also featured runway appearances from celebrities like Paris Hilton and Tom Brady.

Warby Parker, Google, and Samsung Just Unveiled Smart Glasses That Actually Look Like Glasses

Warby Parker

At Google I/O 2026, Warby Parker made a major tech crossover, unveiling its first Intelligent Eyewear frame, developed in collaboration with Google and Samsung. Engineered from ultra-lightweight, flexible dark green nylon, the glasses adopted a classic rounded silhouette from Warby Parker’s archive to intentionally disguise the technology. Operating as a smartphone companion device powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, the hardware housed cameras, speakers, and microphones without adding bulky weight. The software uses Google Gemini on Android XR to deliver hands-free voice features, including turn-by-turn navigation, audio translation with voice matching, real-time notification summaries, and first-person media capture. Leveraging Warby Parker’s extensive optical fitting data and prescription expertise, the collaborative project aimed to challenge existing competitors by delivering functional, smart eyewear that consumers would actually choose to wear for daily style.

Chanel Returns To Growth as Matthieu Blazy’s Debut Drives Record Demand

Kristy Sparow/Getty Image

Chanel officially bounced back from a financial dip in 2024, posting a 2% rise in currency-adjusted revenue, reaching $19.3 billion USD for 2025. The French luxury label owed much of the uptick to its newly appointed Director, Matthieu Blazy. Blazy’s highly praised debut ready-to-wear collection infused bright, modern energy into the brand’s classic, tailored design language.  This creative resurgence pushed Chanel’s operating profits up by 5% to $4.7 billion USD. Global CEO Leena Nair emphasized that the financial bounce-back justified the brand’s massive investments into customer experience and traditional savoir-faire, positioning the maison to easily capture market share.

Grace Wales Bonner Reportedly Recruits Former A.P.C. Head of Design for Hermès Team

Dave Benett/Getty Images

Grace Wales Bonner reportedly expanded her inner creative circle at Hermès ahead of her highly anticipated runway debut. Reports indicated that the newly appointed creative director of menswear recruited John-Gabriel Harrison, the former Head of Design at the contemporary French label A.P.C., to join her core design unit. Harrison’s background in elevated minimalism and clean, effortless tailoring was viewed as an ideal complement to Wales Bonner’s scholarly, narrative-driven approach to fashion. The strategic hire came during a long-term transitional period for the historic French maison, as Wales Bonner prepared to succeed former menswear director Véronique Nichanian, who had steered the house’s menswear vision for 37 years. As the expanded studio built creative momentum for a formal collection debut scheduled for January 2027, the addition emphasized a commitment to honoring artisan heritage while injecting a fresh, contemporary perspective.

Bad Bunny and Zara Reveal Massive 150-Piece BENITO ANTONIO Collection

Zara

Bad Bunny made his Zara collaboration official, unveiling “BENITO ANTONIO,” an expansive 150-piece capsule collection. Built entirely around the Puerto Rican artist’s bold personal aesthetic, the lineup seamlessly bounced between oversized wardrobe essentials, sharp tailoring, and vibrant summer separates. Early pieces were secretly previewed during Bad Bunny’s historic Super Bowl LX Halftime performance and as a custom tuxedo at the Met Gala. Co-created alongside his long-term creative director Janthony Oliveras, the collection’s visual identity drew inspiration from everyday Puerto Rican infrastructure, complete with a campaign shot locally by visual collaborator STILLZ.

Take a Look Inside Palace Skateboard’s First Mainland China Flagship Store in Shanghai

Palace

London-born skate label Palace Skateboards expanded its retail footprint into mainland China with a stunning new flagship store in Shanghai. Located within the historic, late-Qing dynasty Zhangyuan complex in the Jing’an District, the open space blends the brand’s subcultural identity with traditional local architecture. A three-dimensional mirrored Tri-ferg logo greets customers at the entrance, while the interior features limestone tiles, gold and red accents, and a central pavilion structure inspired by classical Chinese garden design. The outdoor terrace even has a pond-like installation pairing a penjing tree with Palace’s signature cherub. To celebrate the grand opening, Palace launched a Shanghai-exclusive capsule collection featuring “Shang-Hi” branding, a Chinese zodiac rabbit mascot, and graphics paying homage to the city’s iconic Oriental Pearl Tower.