The "Hoodie Boy" is not as he was.. Mark Zuckerberg raises questions with a "tech-obsessed" appearance

- Clothing often carries messages that go beyond appearance, but Mark Zuckerberg chose this time to write his message literally on his shirt. During his appearance on Wednesday at a "Meta" event in Menlo Park, California, the company's CEO opted for a loose black shirt that bore the phrase in English meaning: "Building is my love language."

The phrase was fitting for the event where Zuckerberg showcased his company's latest innovations in artificial intelligence and wearable technology. The loose, square-cut shirt was similar in design to other shirts Zuckerberg has worn that were custom-made for him in collaboration with Los Angeles-based designer Mike Amiri.

The appearance reflected a clear shift in Zuckerberg's style, who has distanced himself from his previous image associated with hoodies and tight gray shirts that became part of the stereotype of tech company founders. In his recent appearance, he maintained his streetwear-inspired style but introduced subtle modifications that gave it a more defined and bold character.

The modifications were not limited to the shirt, as Zuckerberg wore brown pants leaning towards mustard from the American brand "The Row," distinguished by a prominent crease at the front that added a classic touch to the loose fit. However, the most notable accessory in his look was the glasses, as he appeared in more than one design from the Italian brand "Ray-Ban," enhanced with artificial intelligence technologies from "Meta."

In one of his looks, he chose a thick frame in a shell color, before taking the stage wearing the "Brawline" frame with a prominent upper rim, a design first introduced by "Shuron" in 1947, before becoming a staple style in 1950s fashion. The design worn by Zuckerberg belongs to the "Ray-Ban Meta Audio" collection, which features audio glasses equipped with microphones and capabilities for interacting with artificial intelligence, but they come without a camera, in a move that addresses privacy concerns.

Meta announced that the new glasses are designed for listening to music and podcasts, making calls, and interacting with the artificial intelligence assistant without the need to use a phone. This shift in style may be significant given the increasing role that Meta plays in developing artificial intelligence technologies, especially with the growing discussion about the risks of this technology and its potential impacts.

How did fashion and technology experts view this look? In this context, Tom Warren, a technology reporter for The Verge, compared Zuckerberg's new look to an emoji wearing glasses.

Derek Guy, a writer specializing in men's fashion, noted that the new glasses are closely associated with characters from political and institutional elites, or with intellectuals in the 1950s and 1960s. He pointed out the distance Zuckerberg has traveled since he was seen as the most famous example of indifference to style, but he suggested that this shift reflects Zuckerberg's aging more than a political inclination, contrary to what some have suggested.

Zuckerberg's name is set to return to the forefront of the discussion about his public image next month with the release of the film "The Social Reckoning" in theaters. The film comes as a sequel to the film "The Social Network" which was released in 2010.

In the film's promotional trailer, American actor Jeremy Strong, who portrays Zuckerberg, appeared with a hairstyle that the Meta founder adopted during the late 2010s and early 2020s, which he moved away from in recent years after growing his hair longer and allowing his natural curls to show more clearly. "Gas Station Chic" was not the only attention-grabbing look, as Alexander Wang, head of artificial intelligence at Meta, appeared in a loose green shirt with a camouflage pattern and deer graphics, along with the phrase "Lake Tahoe," stating that he bought it from a thrift store in Santa Cruz for $30. Wang paired the shirt with pants, Crocs shoes, and thin wire-framed glasses.

With long hair styled with a front fringe, the look appeared closer to what could be called "gas station elegance."