Meta’s $3.5B Power Move: Why Smart Glasses Are the Future of Fashion and Tech

Meta buys into eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica as it doubles down on AI smart glasses, holograms, and high-fashion collaborations.

Meta just slipped on a sleek new pair of ambitions, and they're worth $3.5 billion. The tech giant is taking a minority stake of just under 3% in EssilorLuxottica, the world’s largest eyewear manufacturer. With a market cap soaring over $137 billion, this is no small partnership. In fact, it’s a stylish step deeper into a rapidly growing world: AI-powered smart glasses.

Meta Meets the Eyewear Titan

EssilorLuxottica isn’t just any glasses company. It's the name behind Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Persol, and holds licensing deals with fashion icons like Chanel, Burberry, and Ralph Lauren. In other words, if you've worn cool shades lately, they probably made them. Now, with Meta as a minority owner, this eyewear empire just got a whole lot smarter.

Smart Glasses Are Heating Up

Since 2019, Meta and EssilorLuxottica have been building toward a smarter, more stylish future. Their Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, now in their second generation, have already sold over two million pairs since late 2023. That’s no gimmick. These glasses let users snap pictures, record videos, and ask Meta AI for info, hands-free.

But Meta didn’t stop there. In June, they released Oakley Meta, a rugged, waterproof upgrade with open-ear speakers, voice-command capabilities, and a sharper camera, all for $399. That's a step up from the Ray-Ban’s $299 price tag, but the tech speaks for itself.

Prada, Holograms, and Project Orion

Meta isn't just sticking to casual wear. Word is, they’re developing Prada-branded smart glasses, adding high fashion to the high-tech mix. And at Meta Connect last September, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed Orion, Meta’s first prototype of holographic smart glasses. According to Zuck, this is “the most advanced pair ever made.” It’s not ready for prime time just yet, but developers are refining the experience.

The dream? Glasses that layer holograms and 3D avatars into your everyday view. Think sci-fi, but wearable. And Meta wants to lead that revolution.

Big Tech Has Its Eyes on the Prize

Meta isn’t the only one playing the smart glasses game. Google recently announced a $150 million investment in AI eyewear with Warby Parker, including live language translation and object recognition. Apple is quietly preparing its own glasses for a rumored 2026 release, studying what users love (and hate) about competitors' models.

The Market Outlook: Crystal Clear

According to GrandView Research, the smart glasses market is expected to balloon from $1.93 billion in 2024 to $8.26 billion by 2030. That’s a serious vision for growth. With Meta hinting it may boost its stake in EssilorLuxottica to 5%, the company clearly sees this as more than a trend—it’s a future frontier.