Leather jacket worn by world's seventh richest billionaire Jensen Huang auctions for nearly $1M

A black leather jacket sported by Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang sold for US$960,000 at a New York auction on July 17, 16 times higher than the estimated value of US$60,000, according to Sotheby’s.

The auctioneer said in a press statement that 45 collectors bid on the Tom Ford jacket, with Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectibles Brahm Wachter calling it "an object so closely tied to one of the defining figures of the AI era".

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during a doorstep after attending the AI Ecosystem Reception in Tokyo on July 16. Photo by Reuters

Much like Apple founder Steve Jobs’ penchant for black turtlenecks or Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg’s endless wardrobe of gray T-shirts, Huang has made leather jackets part of his signature style, wearing one in nearly every public appearance – including the cover of Time magazine in 2021.

As head of Nvidia, Huang, the world's seventh richest billionaire with an estimated net worth of US$175.4 billion as of July 18 according to Forbes, has seen the chipmaker grow to become the highest-valued publicly traded company in the world.

Proceeds from the auction go to benefit the Edge Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching English and instructing professionals in Western business and educational methods.