Eyewear news and archive

Marcolin: Revenues up 1.2 percent in first quarter

Revenue for Italian eyewear company Marcolin increased by 1.2 percent in the first quarter, reaching 147.3 million dollars, compared to the first quarter of 2024 at current exchange rates (plus 2.0 percent at constant perimeter). The margin recorded in the first three months of 2025 was positive: adjusted earnings before interest, taxes,...

Fashion

Glasses with offline payment function: Meizu takes next step in wearable tech

Chinese tech firm Meizu launched its latest smart glasses, the StarV Air2 AR glasses, at a press event in Hong Kong on April 29. The built-in offline payment function is remarkable. According to Meizu, it is a world first for AR glasses. The smart glasses are positioned as a possible successor to the smartphone as a means of payment. The glasses...

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Business

‘Autofocus’ eyewear brand Ixi secures 36.5 million dollars in funding

Ixi, a Finnish startup centred around ‘autofocus’ eyewear, has announced the closing of a Series A funding round amounting to 36.5 million dollars. The investment, led by London-based investment fund Plural, is intended to aid in the product development of Ixi Adaptive Eyewear, with the goal of establishing commercial operations. Additional...

Retail|In Pictures

Eyewear brand SunGod opens its first UK store

British performance eyewear brand SunGod has opened its first-ever UK retail store in London’s Covent Garden. The 928 square foot store, located on Henrietta Street, will showcase the challenger brand's award-winning range of carbon-neutral performance eyewear, as well as act as space for the brand’s community to come together, through athlete...

People

Blenders Eyewear names Jack Gray as its new CEO

Blenders Eyewear, part of the Safilo Group, has appointed Jack Gray as its new chief executive officer, succeeding the brand founder Chase Fisher, who will transition into a new role as the company’s brand evangelist. In a statement, Blenders Eyewear said that Gray’s two decades of experience building and scaling global brands would drive the...

Fashion

Marcolin and Max Mara extend eyewear licensing agreement

Italian fashion house Max Mara has announced the renewal of its eyewear licensing agreement with Marcolin until 2032. The new license agreement has been extended for an additional seven years, until December 31, 2032, and covers the design, production and international distribution of Max Mara’s sunglasses and optical frames. Max Mara’s eyewear...

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Business

Damson Madder expands into eyewear for fifth anniversary

London-based Damson Madder has expanded into the eyewear category for the first time to celebrate its fifth anniversary. The launch comes as part of a month-long series of marketing activations for the British womenswear brand, and alongside the launch of its spring/summer 2025 collection. As such, the label’s first eyewear collection intends to...

People

Eyewear brand Ray-Ban appoints A$AP Rocky as first creative director

There's a first for everything and, in the case of eyewear brand Ray-Ban, that is in the appointment of its first creative director. The position will be filled by hip-hop artist A$AP Rocky, according to a press release. Rocky will reportedly “unleash his avant-garde vision” on Ray-Ban Studios. "I've always admired Ray-Ban for how they stay true...

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Business

Ahlem secures investment from 1686 Partners

Luxury eyewear brand Ahlem, headquartered in Los Angeles, has secured its first outside investor with Luxembourg-based private equity firm 1686 Partners, which specialises in purpose-driven lifestyle companies. In a statement, Ahlem said that 1686 Partners' investment will support the brand's expansion globally, enhancing the eyewear brand’s...

Fashion

Dsquared2 and Safilo renew eyewear partnership

Eyewear group Safilo has announced the early renewal of its multi-year licensing deal with fashion brand Dsquared2, founded by brothers Dean and Dan Caten. In a statement, Safilo said the new partnership deal would see the group designing, manufacturing and distributing Dsquared2 branded eyewear collections until the end of December 2031. Angelo...

Fashion|In Pictures

Canada Goose launches first-ever eyewear collection

Luxury outerwear and apparel brand Canada Goose has launched its debut eyewear collection with Marchon Eyewear, designed and engineered “to meet the demands of any environment”. In a statement, Canada Goose said the eyewear collection aims to offer “a stylish new lens on protection” by prioritising comfort, style, and performance with...

Fashion

Polaroid Eyewear partners with the ATP tennis tour

Polaroid Eyewear, part of the Safilo Group, has become the official eyewear partner for the ATP Tour, the tennis tour for men to expand its global footprint. As part of the partnership, Polaroid Eyewear will host brand activations at a selection of ATP Tour events, including the Mutua Madrid Open, the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and the Swedish...