Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's iconic black leather jacket sold for ₹9.24 crore. Here's the story behind it

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's trademark black leather jacket has fetched $960,000 (approximately ₹9.4 crore) at a Sotheby's auction, with the proceeds set to support a philanthropic initiative aimed at helping young innovators in technology and science.

The jacket, which had a pre-sale estimate of $40,000 to $60,000, sold for nearly 16 times its expected value, making it one of the most talked-about pieces at the auction.

According to Fortune, the proceeds will go towards an initiative organised by San Francisco-based venture capital firm Long Journey Ventures to benefit the Edge Institute, a nonprofit that brings together people working across technology, science, culture and society to collaborate on new ideas.

The organisation is part of the growing "pop-up village" movement, where founders, researchers and entrepreneurs live and work together for weeks while developing new projects. Its flagship gathering, Edge Esmeralda, attracted more than 1,300 participants in Healdsburg, California, last year. According to Sotheby's, the auction proceeds will fund fellowships, grants and residency programmes.

It remains unclear what Mr Huang's involvement with the initiative is or whether he personally proposed the auction.

The Jacket That Became A Tech Symbol

For years, Jensen Huang's black leather jacket has become as recognisable as the Nvidia chief himself.

Much like Steve Jobs' trademark black turtleneck or Mark Zuckerberg's T-shirts and hoodies, Mr Huang has built a public image around his preference for luxury leather jackets, often wearing them during Nvidia's biggest product launches, developer conferences and keynote presentations.

"You may know me better as 'the guy in the leather jacket who repeats things three times,'" Mr Huang wrote during a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) session in 2016.

The look has since become synonymous with the AI pioneer and was even featured when he appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 2021 as one of its "Men of the Year."

The jacket sold at Sotheby's was identified as a Tom Ford black leather jacket that Mr Huang wore during Hon Hai Tech Day in Taipei on October 18, 2023. Sotheby's said the item was photo-matched to the event, while Mr Huang's signature was authenticated by James Spence Authentication.

Describing the piece, Sotheby's said, "This is not only a jacket. It is the uniform of a 'first believer'; a symbol of his leadership style embodying authenticity, ingenuity, persistence, courage and joy."

A Longtime Fan Of Tom Ford

Mr Huang's preference for Tom Ford jackets has become something of a signature in Silicon Valley.

According to Fortune, fashion experts have estimated that many of the Nvidia chief's jackets cost anywhere from several thousand dollars to more than $10,000 each.

During a keynote speech in 2024, Mr Huang appeared to wear a lizard-embossed Tom Ford jacket reportedly priced at nearly $9,000.

"It’s not his first rodeo. He wears a lot of Tom Ford. They’re all expensive," Reginald Ferguson, founder of menswear consultancy New York Fashion Geek, told Fortune in 2025.

"He's found his lane, and he's sticking to it. I doubt he has a motorcycle outside. The black jackets go well with his gray hair," he added.

Despite the attention his wardrobe receives, Mr Huang has said the styling choices are not entirely his own.

"I'm happy that my wife and my daughter dress me," he said during a 2024 interview with HP.

A spokesperson for Mr Huang had also earlier told The New York Times that the Nvidia CEO has been wearing black leather jackets "for at least 20 years."

Philanthropy Beyond The Auction

The Sotheby's sale marks a different kind of charitable contribution for Mr Huang and his family.

He and his wife, Lori Huang, who met while studying at Oregon State University, run the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Foundation, which, according to one estimate cited by Fortune, has assets exceeding $10 billion.

The foundation has primarily focused on higher education and artificial intelligence research. Its major donations include a $50 million gift to Oregon State University for a research complex that now bears the couple's names, contributions to Stanford University, and a $22.5 million donation to the California College of the Arts.

While Mr Huang's black leather jacket has long been associated with Nvidia's rise as one of the world's leading AI companies, its latest chapter has transformed a personal style statement into a philanthropic contribution aimed at supporting the next generation of innovators.