Move over, Patagonia vests. There’s a new uniform for the tech wealthy.
The AI boom is creating a new generation of wealth tech founders and employees with cash to splurge.
Luxury brands are taking note. Chanel is relocating within San Francisco’s Union Square, moving into a much larger four-story flagship building, while the luxury consignment store The RealReal reopened its San Francisco flagship earlier this year.
“These are expansion and commitment decisions, made by houses that do not open or grow lightly,” said Ali Mirza, CEO of consumer data firm Affluential.
Though some of the tech-bro principles remain — casual dressing and zero logos — stylists, fashion analysts, and luxury sourcers say that the AI money crowd is putting their own spin on this with a more elevated look.
Here’s what’s in and what’s out among the new AI money crowd:
Brunello Cuccinelli
Brunello Cucinelli is emerging as a key winner. The Italian luxury brand has doubled its space in Union Square, San Francisco, in recent years, according to Agility Research & Strategy.
Not only does the quiet luxury aesthetic of its clothes appeal to the new tech elite, but the brand’s philosophy about sustainability and creativity allows AI founders to frame themselves as ethical builders, said Scott Kerr, founder of luxury consultancy firm Silvertone Consulting.
“Brunello lets them be rich, thoughtful, and quietly express their status at the same time,” he said.
Brunello Cucinelli also launched an AI-powered e-commerce website earlier this year. Cucinelli said at the time that his “friends in Silicon Valley” described the website as a “true invention.”
Elevated sneakers
Understated footwear is the flavor of the day.
They’re “gravitating toward limited collaborations, logo-less sneakers, and premium everyday footwear that fly under the radar,” Gab Waller, who runs a luxury fashion sourcing service based in LA, said.
The Loro Piana Summer Walk Loafers, which cost between $1,150 and $2,150, are an example she gave.
San Francisco-based stylist Lili Henry said when it comes to sneakers, cult classics like Adidas Gazelles, which range from about $100 to $120, are a popular choice among her clients right now.
More elevated styles, such as Valentina by Veronica Beard ($330), are also popular. For her female clients, she recommends the NY-based brand Margaux for flats. Its Demi classic ballet pumps cost just under $400.
Levi Pastor, cofounder of London-based luxury concierge business Pastor & Co, said shoes from British luxury brand John Lobb are popular with the AI money crowd. They range from about $900 to $2,800.
Chrome Hearts
If you know, you know.
“Younger tech entrepreneurs often want products that only a small group of people recognize,” Waller said. “The signal is no longer ‘I can afford this’; it’s ‘I know about this.’”
Chrome Hearts, a Hollywood-based gothic rock brand that trades on scarcity through product drops and a very limited line of accessories and apparel, has become an unlikely favorite among the AI crowd.
It’s been around since the 1980s, but has had a resurgence in recent years, being picked up by Gen Z and worn by the likes of Timothée Chalamet.
Waller said the brand’s sweaters, hoodies, classic tees, and jeans are the most highly coveted items for the AI crowd. Chrome Hearts’ cross patch jeans can cost over $25,000 on the resale market.
More traditional, but more exclusive brands like Hermès are also resonating because of this. For Kelly and Birkin bags, Waller said prices start at about $25,000, with limited-edition styles costing about $60,000. Exotic bags, made from materials like crocodile, can reach upward of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Loro Piana, The Row, Bottega
While in-your-face displays of wealth — aka “loud luxury” — may be becoming more noticeable among America’s elite, younger tech founders and workers are sticking to Silicon Valley’s historically anti-label, understated, quiet-luxury style. Think neutral colors, luxurious fabrics, tailored silhouettes — and steep prices.
SF-based stylist Henry said she mixes accessible luxury brands like Theory, Vince, and Reiss with pricier labels such as Loro Piana, The Row, Chanel, Bottega Veneta, and Brunello Cucinelli.
Waller said neutral and classic styles are most requested among the AI money crowd, with Loro Piana as the frontrunner, particularly their jackets, and Bottega Veneta ready-to-wear is also popular.
Loro Piana jackets range from $2,250 for a waterproof sleeveless vest to $39,500 for a jacket made of vicuña wool. Bottega Veneta has a similar price range.
Customized clothing brands
San Francisco-based stylist Kimberly Gant said she has noticed increased interest among her clients in smaller brands specializing in customized clothing, including Sene, Son of a Tailor, and Proper Cloth.
“There always has been a sweet spot for companies that have married technology with fashion,” Gant said. “There is more of an uptick in finding brands that do more custom work.”
Son of a Tailor, a Danish menswear brand, uses a proprietary AI algorithm to create a custom-fit garment by taking height, weight, age, and shoe size as input.
Prices range from between $75 for a cotton T-shirt to $380 for a cashmere polo.
American menswear brand Proper Cloth — often recommended on X by menswear writer Derek Guy — has a Loro Piana suit collection with pieces crafted from the luxury brand’s fabric mill priced between $1,795 to $2,995.
Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto
UK-based trend forecaster Lizzy Bowring said that alongside quiet luxury, there is also a “cyber-minimalist” streak consisting of futuristic, monochromatic, and structural pieces.
Designers like Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto, known as “the poet of black,” are emblematic of this.
Block CEO Jack Dorsey is known as a fan of Rick Owens, sporting the brand’s distinctive all-black looks.
But logos are still out
West Coast stylists Kimberly Gant and Lili Henry said the anti-label look is more prevalent among their clients than ever.
The same look is true for China’s young AI elite, according to Elisa Harca, CEO of a Hong Kong-based marketing agency.
“No flashy cars, no obvious logos,” she said. The new tech elite in China are consciously rejecting “the nouveau riche aesthetic of China’s earlier tech boom.”
They also want more than just a brand name. The focus is “impeccable materials,” she said.
Silicon Valley tech employees have generally maintained their ultra-casual look, which was intensified by remote working. But top tech billionaires have become more fashion-forward in recent years.
Mark Zuckerberg was spotted in the front row of Prada’s Fall/Winter runway show, while Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez were the lead sponsors of the 2026 Met Gala.
And it’s trickling down as AI founders become increasingly more visible and employees return to the office.
“In the tech industry, it’s always been casual,” Gant said. “I would say there is a little bit of a sway in people wanting to dress up a little bit more now that they’re returning to the office.”
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