Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on why he always wears a black leather jacket: Because of his wife

In the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley, where innovation never slows, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stands out not only for steering a three trillion dollar company through the AI boom but also for his signature uniform. The black leather jacket, paired with a plain black shirt and slacks, has become inseparable from his public persona. It sits in the same cultural space as Steve Jobs’ turtleneck or Mark Zuckerberg’s hoodies. Yet behind this polished, rockstar-tech image is a simple story rooted in love, comfort, and a promise made decades ago.

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The tale resurfaced in a recent clip from an interview with Money Focus, where the 62-year-old CEO explained the jacket’s true origin. “This is what my wife bought for me, and this is what I’m wearing,” Huang said with a grin, patting the familiar leather on his shoulders. It was never intended as a branding strategy. It was a solution to a lifelong problem: he hates shopping and finds most clothes uncomfortable. “I do zero percent of my own shopping,” he joked. His wife, Lori Mills Huang, stepped in long ago and has chosen his wardrobe ever since. She has known him since he was seventeen, after all.

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Their story began in 1980 at Oregon State University. Lori, then nineteen, was one of only three women in a classroom filled with engineering students. Jensen noticed her immediately. His self-proclaimed “pickup line” was offering to do her homework, a move he still laughs about today. In a later speech at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, he added another detail, recalling how he once promised to build her a company someday. It sounded bold, even unrealistic, but it worked. The two married in 1985 and eventually co-founded Nvidia in 1993 from a Denny’s booth, a full-circle moment for Huang, who had once waited tables at the chain.

The leather jacket became Lori’s way to simplify Jensen’s routine. “She thinks everything makes me itch,” he said. So when she finds a shirt or jacket that works, she sticks with it. His closet is now a uniform row of identical black shirts, a testament to her determination to avoid future shopping trips. Their daughter, Madison, now Nvidia’s director of marketing, offers occasional style input too.

Though it may seem like a small domestic detail, the story reflects the quiet partnership behind Nvidia’s rise. Lori, a former engineer, has been by Jensen’s side through every setback and breakthrough. Their son, Spencer, now a senior product manager at the company, adds to the sense of a shared mission.

Huang’s leather look has become a cultural symbol, spawning memes and fan tributes. But at its heart, it remains a simple gesture of care from the person who has supported him since his earliest ambitions. As Nvidia continues shaping the future of computing, one thing seems fixed: Jensen Huang’s iconic jacket, chosen by the woman who believed in him long before the world did.

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Vyom Ramani

A journalist with a soft spot for tech, games, and things that go beep. While waiting for a delayed metro or rebooting his brain, you’ll find him solving Rubik’s Cubes, bingeing F1, or hunting for the next great snack. View Full Profile