Mysterious Google Initiative Aims to Boost Relationship Between Tech and Fashion

It seems that Google is following other big web properties like eBay in focusing in on fashion. Longtime fashion and technology devotee Tony Wang has been charged with leading the company into the fashion fray, though thus far the details are a bit cryptic.

Wang, the blogger behind post.fashionism and undergrad at UPenn's Wharton School, where he's involved in Penn Fashion Week, has been tweeting mysterious tidbits about a Google fashion initiative, code name GStyle.

Here's a sample: "If you are interested in being a part of GStyle - fashion@google - @reply me with your email or a link where I can find your email. Cheers."

We promptly replied and this morning found an email from Tony with a "google" email address (not gmail, google) in our inbox, subject line "Fashion @ Google." It's an introduction from Tony, who we learned is a Program Producer at YouTube and the fashion lead at Google for GStyle, "Google's internal, company-wide attempt to  improve the relationship between the tech and fashion industries."

Google's aim appears to be to get in tight with fashion types in order to learn their digital needs and habits so they can develop products for bloggers, designers, and retailers. So far this consists of Tony interviewing industry insiders, including Gaby Basora of Tucker and PR blog PR Couture.  

Wang's email invited us to become the subject of an interview, the content of which would be forwarded along to Google insiders. We can also air gripes about Google products, which he'll direct to the appropriate development team.  We're mulling it over, but our interest is definitely piqued: Is Google planning an editorial debut? We're skeptical that it's purely an academic exercise. At the moment, this internal program is in pilot mode (on that Wang is clear), so your guess is as good as ours.

UPDATE: We heard from an internal source that Wang is, in fact, in the Google system, though he's listed as a summer intern. Best internship ever?

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