We all know Marissa Mayer is a tech nerd turned fashionista, and it looks like her taste for designer clothes is rubbing off on the search giant.
But unlike the media or mobile industries, the fashion industry appears safe from Google. Google is selling “Google-inspired” scarves and other clothing to the public that were designed by emerging designers. Last year, designers who participated in a Vogue and Council of Fashion Designer program were asked to create a one-of-a-kind item inspired by Google in some way that reflected Google’s aura. Google transformed the finalists creations into iGoogle Artists themes but selected three of the designers to produce and sell their Google-inspired couture.
Here’s the description of the scarf:
Flora Gill designed an oversize, multi-yarn, intarsia hand-knit scarf incorporating silk bias trim with wool and nylon yarn. Inspired by Google’s multi-functionality and diversity, the scarf features Google’s signature colors and is designed to be worn in several ways.
In case you were wondering about the “several ways” you can wear the scarf, I guess you can wear it as a headband, around your neck, or as an armband as a symbol of solidarity with the Googleplex. I don’t know about you, but to me the scarf aesthetically is not worth $300. I mean, come on, for $200 more I could get an iPad.
You can also purchase Peace “Vintage” T Shirt inspired by the point on a Google Map that will set you back by $85. And for any jewelry fans out there, Google is peddling a $200 Old Fashioned Magnifying Glass Pendant, meant to be inspired by Google’s search.
$300 for this. Where the money is going,
Haiti ?
Wow! Google is going apple’s way!!
Ordinary items + company logo = ridiculous prices
This is not the Google I know of… what happened to you?
That shit is UGLY!
Can’t agree more.. Don’t tell me just because G got some sponsoring from vogue and those fashion-related brands, means its scarf should line-up on a steep price, too? Is that made of technicolored-bear skin? lol
And who’s the model? The USA’s latenight ‘photoshopped’ queen?
Or some gossip girl east-sider pre-adolescent model? Oh gimme a break…
Scarves to robe my credit account and personal data is really the minimum …
The only people wearing this are those that know how to traverse a binary search tree
Doubtful, that’s a lot of people. Deadpool that crap.
Looks like its made by a spastic.
They could’ve done better. Sorry google.
Phew! First time I got a early jump on a Valentines Day gift for my wife. I think she’ll love it. Thanks for the great tip.
And the jewelry, just crossed off bday gift (her birthday is in May).
PS – if they are donating the proceeds, good for them.
Sweet… now I have something to wear to the Oscars!!!
With $300 less in your pocket.
google store went down, techcrunch effect
Isn’t that store hosted on Google servers?
I think I once saw a scarf like that on Grover.
pressure on bing … that’s a good one
Erm, wait… what?!? Is the scarf 3G or does it require you to be within WiFi range to keep warm?
Hilarious
Seems like Google is trying to be a part of every market these days. They should be careful of spreading out too much.
Anything, and I mean anything, to keep the Marissa Mayer looking “younger, youthful, connected.” Don’t Be Evil. Whatever. Anything check to see if she’s a Nexus 6?
She does kinda look like a six …. There are many copies …
looks like an oversized sock to me XD
Shark. Jump. The.
Blame Chad Hurley and his foray into fashion.. instead of fixing the million and one things that annoy tubers about youtube all the time..
Do you think they will come out with a I want to strangle a youtube engineer shirt.. cause a lot of tubers would buy those…lol
Interesting idea for a shirt, but the slang is out of control. Last I checked, a tuber was something that grows in the ground that you eat.
Why couldn’t they give them away for free and just put ads on them?
What else to expect from the pretentious, altruist, business-despising lefties at Google who are more interested in social causes than improving their rapidly aging technology (i.e. their home page, the quality of their search, the presentation of search results, etc. etc.)
Altruism’s a bad thing now?
Altruism doesn’t mean benevolence. It means self-sacrifice – and that *is* the literal root of all evil. Read Atlas Shrugged for more details.
ha. a business that despises business. that is simply amazing.
there’s too much black in it. People don’t associate the color black with google.
i like the shirt with the maps graphic on it. it points to the only thing that matters. they should call it the getting laid shirt.
and usually i like knit but it looks like the chose the brightes hues of colour for this scarf (which usually is a good thing but sometimes doesn’t work) and it just looks kinda ugly which makes me sad. i love cfda, and it’s nice of google to support these indies but come on. the pendant thing is nice.
I could have told you Google would make ugly clothes the second they released that favicon.
Lovely, just can’t wait to see all the dorks down the peninsula in the land of pleated khakis wearing these hideous RGYB monstrosities.
This is an interesting strategy to counter the new Bing features. Will be interesting to see how it plays out in the long run! :/
The t shirt is actually pretty cool. The other stuff doesn’t make a ton of sense. Im surprised they didn’t partner up with threadless or someone like that. Weigh in whether you’d buy google wear here:
http://popshiz.com/would_you_buy_designer_google_wear
It’s no surprise that a cultural icon like Google would capitalize on merchandise. Maybe they can be at the forefront of what will be known as “Geek Chic”.
Recession anyone?
Its crap like this that make us blog (http://www.techwankers.com/tag/women/) about the crazy things that happens in Silicon Valley.
Have techcrunch crossed over from informative tech info to TMZ style reporting too?
As a knitter & designer myself, I don’t know if $300 is worth putting my name on this design or the pain of having to create it. Thousands of knitter do better everyday and yes, their work is worthy of this type of price tag however, this 80’s inspired work is not.
As far as your comment on the iPad goes, you can easily apply the iPad vs. A rock chart here too.
Also I really like that $85 shirt they have. If I had more money I’d buy it.
FAIL! No one wants to look like google. Nothing about google says FASHION .
1Plus googles fan base are freeloaders $85 would send them into cardiac arrest. lmao