U.S. big tech companies are moving into selling apparel and goods unrelated to information technology (IT), such as artificial intelligence (AI) services. Experts said this is a strategy to go beyond simple souvenir sales and sensibly refresh company images to erase negative impressions such as privacy violations and job losses.
U.S. data analytics and defense corporations Palantir released a $239 (350,000 won) coat on the 30th of last month. The product, with the company logo embroidered on the chest, sold out within hours of going on sale. The company said the coat is made in Montana and is a modern reinterpretation of vintage workwear.
Palantir's product was released in the so-called "chore coat" style. The chore coat is an overcoat once worn by workers on job sites. It features thick cotton fabric and roomy pockets, and its durability made it widely used as workwear. Recently, it has also gained popularity for a practical yet vintage vibe.
OpenAI and Anthropic are showing similar moves. OpenAI has recently been selling long-sleeve T-shirts and caps in its online store. In particular, it emphasized a retro feel by designing the site like an early 1990s internet homepage. Anthropic collaborated last year with the digital newsletter Air Mail to open pop-ups in New York and London, selling "thinking caps" and coffee.
The Guardian, a U.K. outlet, analyzed that Silicon Valley corporations' focus on fashion is backed by a "taste marketing" strategy. Whereas tech corporations once emphasized function and innovation themselves, they now seek to build the brand's cultural image alongside them.
In particular, as the AI industry rapidly grows and controversies continue over data collection, copyright infringement and job displacement, there is an interpretation that corporations are expanding into fashion and lifestyle to create a more human and refined image.
Eliano Younes, Palantir's head of strategy participation, also told The New York Times (NYT) regarding the jacket launch that "it is not political," adding it is "a product for people who identify with Palantir and the company's mission." This is seen as mindful of Palantir's involvement in the U.S. government's immigration enforcement systems and military projects.
Big tech leaders once epitomized by hoodies are also appearing at fashion events lately. This year's Met Gala (a fashion charity event by U.S. Vogue and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York) drew Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, as well as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and senior executives from TikTok, Instagram, Snap and Slack. According to the Guardian, OpenAI, Meta and Snap each spent at least $350,000 (526.4 million won) just to buy a table at the event.
Culture critic Kyle Chayka called tech corporations' moves "taste-washing" in an interview with the Guardian, analyzing them as attempts to overlay a human, refined veneer on a cold tech-corporation image. He said it is "an attempt to create an image that personal taste can be a company's competitive edge."