LSN : News : Meta eyes smart glasses market with reported EssilorLuxottica stake

Immersive design is reshaping the future of luxury spaces

Immersive Intelligence by Imerza

Global – Immersive technologies are redefining how luxury brands design and deliver physical spaces, from real estate to retail and hospitality.

In The Unbuilt – a new chapter in The Future Laboratory and Together Group’s New Codes of Luxury report: Immersive Technologies for Transformation – spatial simulation, digital twins and game engine-powered experiences are spotlighted as tools for building emotionally resonant, commercially smart environments before they physically exist. These platforms help luxury brands and developers align internal teams, test creative ideas in real time and present high-fidelity concepts to buyers and investors.

Firms such as Noë & Associates and Imerza are pioneering this shift, creating photorealistic virtual experiences that allow stakeholders to step inside a future space – not just see it.

‘We see a need to transform the whole service chain, and for that, you need an operating system including data that will allow you to hyper-personalise, and tech to bring the immersive experiences to life,’ notes Christian Kurtzke, CEO of Together Group.

As luxury evolves from selling products to staging experiences, immersion is becoming a strategic necessity. New Codes of Luxury: Immersive Technologies for Transformation is accessible to view via an interactive website.

Asahi Super Dry spotlights style and culture in campaign for Women’s Rugby World Cup

Rugby Like Never Before by Asahi Super Dry

Global – Asahi Super Dry has launched a bold new campaign film starring English rugby union player Ellie Kildunne, spotlighting the confidence, creativity and community driving the rise of women’s rugby.

Ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the film forms part of the beer brand’s £2m ($2.7m, €2.3m) Rugby Like Never Before platform, which celebrates female rugby players.

Fronted by England star Kildunne and featuring real fan collectives such as Set Piece Social – a food and drinks venue in London dedicated to screening and celebrating women’s and non-binary sports – and rugby team Black Girls Ruck, the cinematic ad blends fashion, sport and subculture to reframe the game through a culture-first lens.

Set against a stylised, modern Japan-inspired backdrop – a nod to Asahi’s heritage – the film presents Kildunne as the embodiment of a new generation of unapologetic athletes reshaping rugby.

Beyond traditional match day moments, the campaign also includes pub partnerships, limited-edition retail packaging and activations with Hypebeast and SPORTbible to engage fans across multiple touchpoints.

Our Game-Changers: The Future of Sports Fandom predicted the rise of women’s sports beyond football as fertile ground for brands seeking meaningful engagement both on and off the field.

Strategic opportunity

Communities like Set Piece Social and Black Girls Ruck act as cultural amplifiers. Consider how your brand can support their growth, foster loyalty and build cultural capital

Meta eyes smart glasses market with reported EssilorLuxottica stake

Global – Meta is reportedly taking a £2.6bn ($3.5bn, €3bn) stake in EssilorLuxottica, emphasising the tech giant’s growing commitment to smart eyewear as a fashion-forward tech frontier.

The move follows a multi-year partnership between the two companies, best known for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. First launched in 2021 and updated in 2023, the now AI-enabled frames have proven to be a surprising commercial success, with more than 2m pairs sold to date. Meta is now doubling down with the launch of a second line: the new Oakley Meta smart glasses, a sports-focused range capable of capturing 3K video and responding to Meta AI prompts.

According to Vogue Business, the reported 3–5% stake gives Meta more than just design cachet – it provides access to EssilorLuxottica’s global distribution network, manufacturing power and luxury licensing portfolio, from Prada to Chanel.

The strategic shift is clear: fashion brands are no longer just collaborators – they’re central partners. Tech giants are recognising the need for design credibility, with Google partnering with Gentle Monster, Warby Parker, and Kering Eyewear. Apple is also expected to enter the market in 2026. These collaborations show that when style meets substance, AR-ready eyewear becomes not just functional, but desirable.

Meta’s investment appears to be a strategic play to maintain its first-mover advantage – and scale smart eyewear from niche innovation to mass-market tech accessory, a shift LS:N Global previously analysed in Six Smart Glasses Innovations With Eyes on the Future.

Oakley Meta

Strategic opportunity

Consumer electronics, fashion and even sportswear brands should evaluate how to develop or co-brand smart accessories such as bags, jewellery and headwear that complement the smart glasses eco-system – similar to how smartwatches grew alongside smartphones

Stat: Culture-driven fandom is reshaping Formula 1

F1 The Movie, Courtesy of Apple TV+ Press, Global

Global – Formula 1’s global fandom is entering a new era, fuelled by Gen Z, women and culturally captivated audiences. The 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey by Formula 1 and Motorsport Network found that 70% of Gen Z fans in the US engage with F1 content daily, while women now account for three in four new followers.

The survey of 100,000 highly engaged fans in 186 countries also highlighted the emotional connection and commitment of F1 fans, with 90% of fans emotionally invested in race outcomes and 94% planning to follow the sport for the next five years.

Many of the sport’s new fans are discovering Formula 1 through social media and streaming series, and cite driver personalities and narrative drama as key drivers of engagement.

The F1 Academy (a female-only, Formula 4-level single-seater racing championship founded by the Formula One Group) is also gaining traction, followed by 42% of women surveyed.

In Streaming’s Next Frontier we examined how digital live sports viewership is attracting new audiences to different sports and building passionate fandoms through improved access to race days and matches.

Strategic opportunity

Use narrative-led, personality-driven content to convert casual sports followers into emotionally invested fans. Prioritise storytelling formats and creator collaborations to capture Gen Z and female audiences