Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is making a transformation, and it’s getting him more attention for his looks than his scientific goods.
During the Meta Connect event, held Sept. 25-26, Zuckerberg announced his latest invention, Project Orion, Meta’s first pair of true AR glasses. The glasses, which have not been released yet, project a hologram of your digital apps right before your eyes and are controlled with a neural wristband. You’ll be able to see your calendar, WhatsApp chats, and GPS directions right in the lenses. According to Zuckerberg, these glasses could eventually replace smartphones by 2030.
“Glasses are going to be the next major computing platform,” Zuckerberg said in a clip posted to social media on Sept. 30. While the thought of innovative technology was mind-blowing, many people were seemingly distracted by Zuckerberg’s new hip appearance.
The 40-year-old tech founder wore an oversized black T-shirt with the words “Aut Zuck Aut Nihil” written boldly in gray lettering. In Latin, “Aut Zuck Aut Nihil” means “either Zuck or nothing,” and with the oversized tee, he wore jeans and sneakers. For finishing touches, he adorned the fit with a slim gold chain and a watch.
His clothes aren’t the only thing that’s changing. Zuckerberg has also been letting his hair grow out. Ditching his normal short red haircut, Zuckerberg seems to be switching things up and letting his ginger curls flourish.
Fans reacted to the apparent change on social media. “Wait when did Mark Zuckerberg get swag,” one X user wrote.
“Since when did mark zuckerberg start dressing like Tyrone,” asked another. Followed by a third person who tweeted, “When did mark Zuckerberg start dressing like a male Instagram influencer.”
A fourth X user teased that Zuckerberg may have been upgraded by a Black woman. “When did Mark Zuckerberg start dating a black woman, only Latricia can make a white dude dress this way,” they wrote.
Prior to the announcement of his new smart glasses, Mark Zuckerberg’s drastic style change has caught the eye of fans. In a video from July, the billionaire tech CEO posted a video on Instagram thanking T-Pain for gifting him a Nappy Boy Entertainment chain.
In the comments one person said, “Zuck has a black girlfriend somewhere cause there’s signs.”
Another person suggested that the married father of three was using his newfound “swag” as a marketing strategy. “It’s literally so his brand and image are more relatable to the youth,” they wrote. “Great marketing tactic to stay relevant. Even how he dresses emulates our youth.”
In his early days, Zuckerberg was known for his nerdy and plain style, which consisted mainly of plain T-shirts and jeans. In 2014, he acknowledged his non-cool persona, saying, “I’m not a cool person, and I’ve never really tried to be cool,” in a public Q&A.
He even addressed the curiosity about why he wore the same gray T-shirt every day. “I really want to clear my life to make it so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this community. … I feel like I’m not doing my job if I spend any of my energy on things that are silly or frivolous about my life.”
But it seems he has had a change of heart. Last month, he shared with the Acquired podcast that he is currently working with designer Mike Amiri to design custom Zuckerberg merch. “I started working with people to design some of my own clothes,” he said.“I’ve kind of started working on this series of shirts with some of my favorite classical sayings on them.”
Zuckerberg hasn’t spoken up about the reason behind his recent passion for fashion, but there are whispers that it may have to do with a 2020 email between him and his then-colleagues. In the lengthy email, Zuckerberg discusses the desire to have Facebook appeal more to millennials. He does this by not only talking about the company itself but also by pointing out how he, as the CEO, has to take into account how he presents himself.
He said, “Finally, I think there’s also some distinction between me and the company here. While our company has a special role in the lives of this generation, this is likely particularly important for how I show up because I am the most well-known person of my generation.”
Earlier in the email, he wrote, “We want to be on the side of the future. So this still feels relevant,” which could explain the sudden change in his drip to appear more trendy and fashionable to his desired demographic.
