Silicon Valley Tech Firms Launch Merchandise Collections and Support Cultural Institutions

Palantir sold its entire initial run of 420 denim chore coats within hours of launching its new merchandise collection. The $239 jackets, available in blue or black and branded with the company logo, are manufactured in Montana. Eliano Younes, head of strategic engagement at Palantir, told the New York Times the collection forms part of the company’s commitment to re-industrializing America.

“It’s not political,” he added.

Anthropic partnered with the newsletter Air Mail to operate pop-up events at newsstands in New York and London. Visitors could purchase “thinking” caps, coffee and other items as part of the branded experience. OpenAI operates an online store selling long-sleeved T-shirts styled after early internet design. The aesthetic references a pre-corporate, more playful era of the web.

At the Met Gala, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez attended after making a $10 million donation to the event. The fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute generated a record $42 million. Meta, OpenAI and Snap each purchased tables costing at least $350,000.

Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin and senior executives from TikTok, Instagram, Slack and other platforms also attended. Zuckerberg has appeared in Bode shirts and attended the Prada show at Milan Fashion Week.

The chore coat originated in France after the First World War as practical workwear for industrial laborers. Made from durable cotton twill or moleskin, the garment has been adopted across fashion brands and worn by celebrities including Monty Don and Harry Styles.

Bill Cunningham, the late street-style photographer, wore a simple blue chore coat that he discovered while observing street sweepers in Paris. He valued the garment for being inexpensive, washable, practical and featuring large pockets.