Can anyone look cool wearing Snap’s $2,000 glasses?
Short answer: Of course not. Long answer: Snap probably doesn’t intend for these to be mainstream smart glasses.
Jun 17, 2026, 12:13 PM EDT
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel wearing the Snap Specs. They’re not the worst on him, but bold fashion rarely makes for mainstream success. | Screenshot: CNBC
Yesterday, Snap debuted its new $2,195 Specs glasses. In an interview with CNBC, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel described the Specs as something the company had been working on for more than 12 years, an attempt to “bring computing into the world” and “make it more human.” He positioned them as a device to help people stay more connected to the world around them instead of looking down at their phones. People, he said, are tired of screens.
While Spiegel was speaking, I was struck by how, whenever his head moved, the light caught the lenses just so, revealing the hidden outline of the Specs’ display. It was ironic that Spiegel was talking about screen fatigue and the desire to connect, just as his very product visibly put a screen between him and the interviewer.
But mostly, I was distracted by how goofy the Specs looked on him.
Fashion is subjective, but the Specs design is objectively bold and distinctive. They’ve got chunky frames and an angular design that’s vaguely reminiscent of aviators. The arms are ginormous and look awfully heavy atop Spiegel’s ears. If there were absolutely no technology inside them, I’d say they were a statement piece, something typically worn by folks like the fashion icons Iris Apfel, Karl Lagerfeld, or even Edna Mode from The Incredibles.
To be clear, Snap is positioning these as an aspirational, high-fashion gadget. You only have to look at the company’s global advertising campaign, shot by fashion photographer Steven Meisel, known for his work with Vogue and several haute couture houses like Versace, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, and Loewe.
