Global trends in luxury eyeglasses and sunglasses

Thomas Fuller has been right since the 17th century. seeing is believing. The global screen time average is his 7 hours (and growing fast), and we live in a demanding hypervisual culture. Eye care is the latest frontier in luxury services and products. When Iggy Pop and Kelly Rowland both have hit songs about shades, you know something has been mainstream for decades. is memorable. Try drawing Mahatma Gandhi or Malcolm X without his signature frame. Vivienne Westwood once quipped that she can’t even think without her glasses.Aviator is now back in the ‘in’ thanks to Top Gun: Maverick President Biden’s stylistic stamp of approval.

with the success of All at once, anywhere, whose stars Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Hoi Kuan brought fashion-forward eyewear to the biggest red carpets of the year. We estimate that over 60% of the population wears glasses and will earn about $30 billion by 2022. The roar of advertising. Who are today’s must-have designers and future trendmakers? What factors are shaping the global marketplace? For industry insights, we spoke with Glassworks founder Ariel Resnik. Ariel Resnik is an Australian-born, Tel Aviv-based optometry entrepreneur who curates his makers of the world’s best artisans and hi-tech eyewear. For style advice, we spoke to Sacramento-based fashion stylist and Instagram influencer Olia Kedik of OliaModa.

Luxury beyond branding

The very concept of luxury in this segment is different from the current state of fashion. The world’s largest brands tend to outsource their accessories and cosmetics to third-party manufacturers.

“Eyewear lovers really care about handcrafted slow designs and sustainable materials,” comments Resnik. Luxury eyewear is home to anti-fast fashion that resists gimmick marketing and mass production. Hong Kong’s secret brand Rigards, for example, uses wood grain wood, horn, sterling silver and oxidized metals to create truly unique frames. All of these act on the wearer’s skin chemistry to change its aesthetic properties over time. They were his 2021 winners of the Silmodor His Trophy, known as the Oscars of the eyewear industry. Since 1917, KameManNen has put hundreds of hours of manual labor into each of its iconic frames. This brand is the most influential contributor to the history of Japanese optometry. Its engineering legacy includes the introduction of titanium eyewear that revolutionized the industry and inspired generations of designers around the world.

No Algorithms for Real Experience

Vision retailer Warby Parker is adopting an online-only strategy to include more brick-and-mortar stores, while fashion metaverse revenue accelerates at a staggering 36% annual growth rate. When it comes to technology, the eyewear industry has always adapted early. However, the experience of trying on new glasses and perfecting the fit is still deeply ingrained in humans. “Drive-thru efficiencies are not appealing to luxury optometry consumers who want to be at the center of their experience,” he said Resnik. A case in point is the success of his two brands, Kuboraum and Mykita, which were born in Berlin ten years ago. Although their styles are different, they share a millennial approach to community building. a better world One viewpoint change frame at a time.

“Monumentals, bodyscapes, fluid identities, masked powers, infinite language.” An excerpt from Kuboraum’s concept statement is as compelling as its climate-neutral craftsmanship. Focusing on high-tech quality, Mykita embodies the bright side of an interdependent creator economy that fosters a “culture of curiosity and play” between artists and clients. Real connection is the ultimate luxury.

Unisex Forever!

Technically, Medical equipment, eyewear has always been unisex. Over the years, its design history has broadened our understanding of the male/female spectrum.From Andy Warhol to his RuPaul, eyewear is a tool of gender-nonconforming self-expression. has been regarded as Elton John is estimated to have owned around 250,000 pairs at one time. “Glasses are no longer gendered. Eyewear Her designers are thinking more in terms of materials and innovation,” she says of Sacramento-based fashion and accessories stylist OliaModa. says Olia Kedik of

Yuichi Toyama, for example, is famous for his geometric artistry that emotionally accentuates every face. The cult Japanese designer relies on five guiding principles: look, think, draw, make, destroy. LOOL, on the other hand, comes from Barcelona, ​​synonymous with Antoni Gaudi’s free-thinking, vibrant sexuality and visionary architecture. The brand translates urban lines and Mediterranean colors into statement pieces of engineering genius. create a stylish frame. No wonder the brand won this year’s Silmodor.

eyewear against climate change

Extreme weather is becoming the new normal, raising concerns about increased UV radiation. “The need for refraction is a new priority for many people outside of traditionally very sunny places like Israel, California, or Brazil. We need good protection everywhere,” Resnik said. says. Conversely, demand for high-quality sunglasses is booming in the Arctic too. The Nordic optics market is expected to grow at a healthy 4% in the next five years. Italian brand DABRACH is ahead of this trend. Their studio is located in the Alps region of Piedmont and makes use of its famous hiking heritage. TAVAT is another example of climate-friendly design. This family business is rooted in the Dolomites’ mountaineering culture. Highland know-how and fashion-savvy aesthetics allow for extremely safe and impeccable eyewear.

new and diverse perspectives

Italians “invented” modern glasses. Japanese craftsmanship is so legendary that they ‘invented’ repairing common objects with gold! The Italian-Japanese ‘rivalship’ has been shaping the luxury industry for decades. No wonder it moved. But adventurous consumers are shifting focus and redrawing the essentials map.

With designers accessible from anywhere and celebrity influences everywhere, the demand increases. For example, many Korean brands benefit from the huge interest in K-pop and K-drama. Part of the reason Tbilisi remains a fashion capital is because of George Kebria, all Kardashians, Knowles, Hadids, etc. Brazilian label LAPIMA’s bold, colorful frames are handcrafted in the suburbs of São Paulo and capture the hearts and faces of South American trendsetters. In Lagos, Nigeria’s first eyewear manufacturer DapMod continues to push the boundaries of his African designs. The global eye care market is projected to nearly double from last year’s he $170 billion to he he’s $324 billion by 2030.Look, the truth this Feels good!