Oakley, a maker of sports sunglasses, introduced a pair a few weeks ago made of carbon fiber, employing technology used in the manufacture of Formula One race cars and requiring 96 hours of labor. The cost: a cool $4,000. When a pair of sunglasses intended for activities like bicycling or running can fetch as much as a Swiss watch or a designer gown, it is clear that the world of luxury is going through a cultural shift. As the purveyors of bling adapt to the era of the blog, technology is not just changing the way that high-end brands communicate with their customers. It is also broadening the definition of luxury itself. “Rather than stitch a bunch of diamonds on them and say, ‘This is a pair of $4,000 sunglasses,’ we decided to put $4,000 worth of work into them,” said Colin Baden, chief executive of Oakley, which is owned by Luxottica Group, of Italy. The company plans to make 250 pairs, he added, and demand is so high that “they’re not spending any time in the stores.” – from NYTimes