Birthday gifts…
Happy birthday to me! Marni Anu Ohia Purple Gradient Glasses
Living the dream
It's Monday, the start of week two here in Florence, and my birthday. If these milestones are meant to be about renewal and a celebration of getting older, I'm feeling incredibly good about this one. Why? Because I actually did it. I set a big, audacious goal to make my life truer to my creative self, and here I am, doing it. And honestly, it feels pretty fabulous. ~ pats back and kisses muscles on each arm :)
I'm overflowing with gratitude for this entire experience. The sheer luxury of taking this much time off from my "real job" at Google, the privilege of being able to afford this adventure, and, of course, a super supportive husband who cheers on my wild idea and my family that shaped me into the person I am today. All of it means the world to me. With a late afternoon start to classes today, I’m spending my birthday morning diving deep into my research project, immersing myself in this new world. Maybe there will be time in the afternoon for a cheeky window shop on the way to school too?!
The Future is Smart, and It's Neutral
After this program, my mind is already swirling with possibilities for how to combine my UX expertise with eyewear design. Of course the obvious next step is smart eyewear at Google, or… well, who knows? The tech world is hinting at big things. I recently had a chat with the VP of Design for the Meta Ray-Ban collaboration, and when I asked him what's next, his answer was clear: "smart accessories," "smart everything." Meta even has a free SDK (software development kit) available for developers. That kind of future, where fashion meets cutting-edge tech, is incredibly intriguing to me.
This fascination with the future of accessories ties perfectly into what we learned in a recent trend forecasting class. We explored the myriad influences on trends, and one fascinating shift stood out: gender. Not long ago, designers rigidly adhered to distinct men's and women's fashion weeks. Now, many major fashion houses are consolidating, showcasing both masculine and feminine pieces in a single presentation. It speaks to a broader cultural movement.
This got me thinking about my own research project, if I'm going to design smart eyewear and accessories, could I create something that is truly gender-neutral, yet still powerfully appeals to either masculine or feminine tastes? How do you craft a universal form that allows for individual expression, regardless of traditional gender norms? It's a UX problem, really, but one with a beautiful, fashion-forward solution to be designed.
This birthday feels less like an end and more like a vibrant new beginning. Here's to getting wiser, being bolder, and designing our own futures.
Thank you
