The Eyewear Renaissance: Global Trends In Luxury Glasses And Sunglasses

News

HomeHome / News / The Eyewear Renaissance: Global Trends In Luxury Glasses And Sunglasses

Apr 26, 2024

The Eyewear Renaissance: Global Trends In Luxury Glasses And Sunglasses

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 12: Fashion Week Guest wearing a black leather coat and a green maxi ... [+] dress outside PatBo during New York City Fashion Week on February 12, 2022 in New York City.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 12: Fashion Week Guest wearing a black leather coat and a green maxi ... [+] dress outside PatBo during New York City Fashion Week on February 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images)

Thomas Fuller has been right since the 17th century. Seeing is believing. With the global screen time average of seven hours (and rapidly rising), we live in a demanding hyper-visual culture. Eye-care is the latest frontier in luxury services and goods. When Iggy Pop and Kelly Rowland both have a hit song about shades, you know something has been mainstream for decades. Glasses and sunglasses can be at once ubiquitous and extremely memorable. Try picturing Mahatma Gandhi or Malcolm X without their signature frames. Vivienne Westwood once quipped that she couldn’t even think without her glasses. Right now, the Aviators are back “in” thanks to Top Gun: Maverick and President Biden’s stylistic seal of approval.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 6: Reporters are reflected in the sunglasses of U.S. President Joe Biden as ... [+] he speaks to the press before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House October 6, 2022 in Washington, DC. President Biden is traveling to Poughkeepsie, New York to tour an IBM facility. The company has invested $20 billion in the Hudson Valley region over the next 10 years, focused on semiconductors, computers, artificial intelligence and other programs. He will also stop in New York City and New Jersey for Democratic fundraising events. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

With the success of Everything Everywhere All At Once, its stars Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Quan have brought fashion-forward eyewear to the year’s biggest red carpets. In the US alone, Vision Council of America estimates more than 60% of adult population wear glasses generating nearly $30 billion in 2022. For sustainability-conscious consumers it can be challenging to navigate the latest trends while independent manufacturers often struggle to reach audiences amid the advertising roar. Who are the current must-have designers and upcoming tastemakers? What factors are shaping the global market? For industry insights, I turned to Glassworks founder Ariel Resnik, an Australian-born, Tel Aviv-based optometry entrepreneur curating world’s finest artisan and high-tech eyewear makers. For style advice, I spoke with Olia Kedik of OliaModa, a Sacramento based fashion accessories stylist and instagram influencer.

Luxury Beyond Branding

The very notion of luxury in this segment differs from the fashion status quo. World’s biggest brands tend to outsource accessories and cosmetics to third-party manufacturers.

Hong Kong’s brand Rigards creates truly unique frames using grained wood, horn, sterling silver and ... [+] oxidizing metals

“Eyewear connoisseurs really care about handmade, slow design and sustainable materials,” comments Resnik. Luxury eyewear is the original anti-fast-fashion stronghold resisting gimmick marketing and mass production. For example, Hong Kong’s best-kept-secret brand Rigards creates truly unique frames using grained wood, horn, sterling silver and oxidizing metals all of which change their aesthetic characteristics over time engaging with the chemicals in the wearer’s skin. They were the 2021 winner of the Silmo d'Or trophy, known as the Oscars for the eyewear industry. Since 1917, KameManNen has been investing hundreds of manual labor hours into each of its iconic frames. This brand is Japan’s most influential contributor to optometry history. Its engineering legacy includes the introduction of titanium to eyewear which revolutionized the industry and inspired a generation of designers around the world.

Sunglasses by Delirious

No Algorithm For a Real Experience

While fashion metaverse revenues accelerate at an impressive 36% annual growth rate, vision retailer Warby Parker is adapting its online-only strategy to include more brick and mortar stores. When it comes to technology, the eyewear industry has always been an early adapter. However, the experience of trying on a new pair of glasses and perfecting its fit remains intimately human. “Drive-thru efficiency does not appeal to luxury optometry consumers who want to be at the heart of the experience,” notes Resnik. Case in point is the success of two brands born in Berlin a decade ago: Kuboraum and Mykita. Different in style, they share a millennial community-building approach to ushering in a better world one perspective-change frame at a time.

BERLIN, GERMANY - JANUARY 17: A model walks the runway at the VORN -The Berlin Fashion Hub x NEWEST ... [+] runway show, coat by Natascha von Hirschhausen, dress by An Buermans, scarve cap by An Buermans, glasses by Mykita, during the Berlin Fashion Week AW23 at Kant-Garagen on January 17, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for NEWEST 2023)

“Monumental, bodyscapes, liquid identities, power of masks, infinite languages.” An excerpt from the Kuboraum concept statement is as fascinating as their climate-neutral craftsmanship. Mykita exemplifies the bright side of the interdependent creator economy focusing on hi-tech quality and fostering “a culture of curiosity and play” in its artists and clients. A real connection is the ultimate luxury.

Unisex Forever!

Technically, as a medical device, eyewear has always been unisex. Throughout the years, its design history expanded our understanding of the masculine/feminine spectrum. From Andy Warhol to RuPaul, eyewear has been seen as a tool for gender nonconforming self-expression. Elton John once estimated to have owned about a quarter of a million pairs! “Glasses no longer are categorized by gender, really. Eyewear designers think more in terms of materials and innovations,” says Olia Kedik of OliaModa, a Sacramento based fashion and accessories stylist.

Olia Kedik of OliaModa, a Sacramento based fashion and accessories stylist.

For example, Yuichi Toyama is renowned for the geometric artistry of his designs that emotively enhance any face. The cult Japanese designer relies on five guiding principles: Look, Think, Draw, Make, Break. Meanwhile, LOOL comes from Barcelona, the city synonymous with freethinking, vibrant sexuality and visionary architecture of Antoni Gaudi. This brand translates urban lines and Mediterranean colors into statement pieces of engineering genius. And Masahiro Maruyama creates frames so distinctly whimsical yet flawlessly practical they capture our complex zeitgeist perfectly. No wonder the brand is this year’s Silmo d’Or laureate.

Eyewear Against Climate Change

Extreme weather is becoming the New Normal and there are growing concerns over heightened UV radiation. “Refractive needs are a new priority for many outside the traditionally exceptionally sunny places like Israel, California, or Brazil. You need ample protection everywhere,” notes Resnik. Conversely, even the Arctic Circle is seeing a spike in demand for quality sunglasses. The Nordic optical market is projected to grow at a healthy 4% over the next five years. Italian brand DABRACH has been ahead of the curve on this trend. Their atelier is nestled in the Alpine region of Piedmont and draws on its famed hiking heritage. TAVAT is another example of climate-conscious design. This family business is rooted in the mountaineering culture of the Dolomites. High altitude knowhow and fashion-savvy aesthetics allow for ultra-safe and impeccable eyewear.

Glassworks shop in Tel-Aviv, Israel designed by Australian Architect Alex Niccols

New Diverse Points of View

Italians “invented” the modern glasses. Japanese craftsmanship is so legendary, they “invented” repairing common objects with gold! No wonder Italy vs. Japan “rivalry” has powered the luxury industry for decades. However, adventurous consumers are shifting their focus and redrawing the must-have map.

George Keburia S/S 2023

Digital access to designers anywhere and celebrity influence everywhere stimulate the demand. For example, many South Korean brands are benefiting from the massive interest in K-pop and K-dramas. Tbilisi maintains its fashion capital status in part thanks to George Keburia and those tiny cat-eye sunglasses beloved by all the Kardashians, Knowles, Hadids, etc. Handmade just outside Sao Paulo, bold colorful frames from Brazilian label LAPIMA have captured the hearts and faces of South American trendsetters. In Lagos, the first Nigerian eyewear maker DapMod continues to push the envelope for African design. The global eyecare market is projected to nearly double in value from $170 billion last year to $324 billion by 2030 re-energized by proliferation of new brands with an exciting multicultural approach. Truth is, seeing this feels good!

Luxury Beyond BrandingNo Algorithm For a Real Experience Unisex Forever! Eyewear Against Climate ChangeNew Diverse Points of View