Pair Eyewear’s Post

I find this story interesting because it is a good example of how you can build a strong brand from a true & genuine place. No gimmicks, no tactics—just ordinary people who experienced a problem that inspired the birth of their brand. THE STORY Warby Parker was founded in 2010 by four friends: Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, Jeffrey Raider, and David Gilboa. The idea for the company came about when one of the founders lost a pair of expensive eyeglasses and realized how costly and inconvenient it was to replace them. The founders noticed that the eyewear industry was dominated by a few major companies that kept prices artificially high. They believed that by cutting out the middlemen and selling directly to consumers online, they could offer high-quality, stylish eyewear at a fraction of the price of traditional designer glasses. Inspired by Jack Kerouac's characters Warby Pepper and Zagg Parker, they named the company Warby Parker and set out to disrupt the eyewear market with their affordable yet fashionable glasses. To further differentiate themselves, Warby Parker also implemented a "try-before-you-buy" model, allowing customers to select up to five frames to try on at home for free before making a purchase decision. This innovative approach to retailing helped them stand out and gain traction in the industry. Since its launch, Warby Parker has grown rapidly and expanded its product offerings to include sunglasses and even a limited selection of contact lenses. The company's commitment to social responsibility, including its "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" program, which provides eyewear to people in need for every pair sold, has also contributed to its success and positive reputation. Let me know if you found this story inspiring. #brand #branding #ceo #founder #contentcreation #contentcreator

These four friends disrupted the eyewear titans, skyrocketed from $0 to a billion-dollar valuation, and redefined how we buy glasses. This is the incredible underdog story of Warby Parker. It all started in an apartment with four Wharton School friends - Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Gilboa, and Jeffrey Raider. Frustrated with the outrageous costs and lack of transparency in the eyewear market, they dreamed of something revolutionary. One day, a bold idea struck them… Affordable, stylish eyeglasses. A constant gripe and the spark of their numerous brainstorming sessions. The absurd prices, the monopolies, and the endless desire to shake things up. What if they could transform the $140 billion eyewear industry, dominated by a few greedy giants? The stage was set. Warby Parker was born. Starting with just $2,500 each, they faced doubt from every corner. Experts laughed, investors hesitated. Who would buy glasses online without trying them on first? But they had a plan. The Home Try-On program. A game-changer that let customers pick five pairs to try at home for free. This was their answer to the skeptics, and it worked. Their launch in 2010 exceeded all expectations. They sold out their first batch in weeks. Scrambling to meet demand, they remained committed to customer satisfaction. Despite rejection from Shark Tank, they pressed on. They knew they had something special. Their unique business model and a mission to donate a pair of glasses for every one sold won hearts. Features in Vogue and GQ launched them into the spotlight. By 2015, Warby Parker was valued at over $1 billion. They opened physical stores to complement their online success, setting a new retail standard. Their journey is legendary. From a tiny apartment to a billion-dollar company, they proved that even in a monopolized industry, innovation and resilience can rewrite the rules. That’s why one theme has always remained consistent: - Focus on the brand. - Focus on the people. - Focus on the mission. The rest will follow. #business #marketing

🚀 EyeMyEye, the full-stack eyewear platform, just secured a whopping Rs 20.8 crore (approximately $2.5 million) in its latest pre-series A round! Here's a breakdown of what this means for the company and the eyewear market 🔍 About EyeMyEye: Founded in 2021 by Ganesh Iyer, EyeMyEye is revolutionizing the eyewear industry by offering a diverse range of customized eyeglasses, sunglasses, and other eyewear-related products both online and offline. 💼 Competitors and Market Landscape: In a fiercely competitive market, EyeMyEye stands out among competitors like Lenskart, ClearDekho, Cool Winks, and Lens2Home. With its unique approach and diverse product range, EyeMyEye is carving its niche in the Indian eyewear market. 💰 Valuation and Funding: EyeMyEye's recent funding round has placed its valuation at around Rs 162 crore or $20 million post-money. Notable investors like RBA Finance & Investments, Ashish Ramesh Kacholia, and Sachin Shah have shown confidence in the company's vision, contributing to its growth trajectory. 👥 Founders and Backers: The company was founded by Ganesh Iyer in 2021 and has garnered support from industry veterans like Brijesh Agarwal (cofounder, Indiamart), Baskara Rao (CTO, Seviora Holdings), and Raghav Gupta (MD Asia Pacific for Coursera), along with other high net worth individuals and angel investors.

WARBY PARKER-HOW AN UPSTART COMPANY BEAT THE GIANTS OF THE INDUSTRY AND INITIATED THE D2C REVELOUTION. Warby Parker, founded in 2010 by Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Gilboa and Jeffrey Raider emerged as a disrupter in the eye wear industry which was dominated by Luxottica. The idea for Warby Parker originated from a frustrating shopping experience one of the co-founders had when attempting to purchase eyeglasses. They observed a lack of stylish, affordable eyewear options available in the market and decided to address this gap. The company was named after two characters created by Jack Kerouac and combined their names. From the outset ,Warby Parker aimed to provide fashionable ,high quality glasses at a reasonable price point, effectively challenging the dominance of a few major eyewear companies like Luxottica that held a near monopoly in the industry. Warby Parker's unique selling proposition centered around offering designer-quality prescription glasses and sunglasses directly to consumers, cutting out the middlemen and associated markups. Their innovative approach involved the online sale of glasses, allowing the customers to try on up to five frames at home for free before making a purchase. This Home Try-On program not only provided convenience but also helped customers feel confident in their choices of frames. In addition to their affordable pricing and convenient Try At Home model, Warby Parker incorporated a social mission in to their business. For every pair of glasses sold, they pledged to donate a pair to someone in need, partnering with non profit organizations to distribute glasses in developing countries. This philanthropic aspect of their business resonated with socially-conscious consumers and further differentiated them from competitors. Warby Parker's success was also attributed to their sleek and user friendly online platform, along with their exceptional customer service. Their emphasis on customer experience, affordable pricing and stylish designs appealed to a market segment dissatisfied with the high costs associated with purchasing eyewear. The companies strategic blend of fashion, affordability, convenience and social responsibility not only disrupted the eyewear industry but also set a new standard for how businesses could combine style ,value and a social mission to stand out in a competitive market. Warby Parker has now evolved in to an omnichannel player by extending their reach by increasing their number of retail stores to the extend that 90 percent of their sales is happening through brick and mortar stores while maintaining its commitment to providing affordable and stylish eyewear. #startup #warbyparker #linkedin #linkedinnews #marketing #branding #d2c #sales #strategy #omnichannel #managementconsulting

Why is EssilorLuxottica acquiring SUPREME after all? There seems to be no strategic rationale. Luxxotica makes sunglasses, Lenses, essentially eyewear. Supreme makes 'HYPE'. Supreme has learned to do this very well by collaborating with top brands like LVMH RIMOWA and many more. They made Street style into Luxury. Supreme really plays limited drops well. Drives up prices, even post purchase. In my view following are the reasons why Luxxotica sees value in buying Supreme: 1. Mastery in selling the concept of Limited Edition, and Surprise drops 2. Mastery in Creating Hype, driving prices up and Still creating a strong fanbase 3. Cross collaboration opportunities with All the brands Luxxotica serves 45 brands (listed on their website as of today). This number includes their own brands RayBan and Persol, and Okley. They make it for every other brand you know - Versace, Prada Group, Burberry , CHANEL. Imagine Supreme doing collaborations with most of thees brands and creating pieces of significance, unique designs, and collectibles 4. Reports suggest that Supreme wasn't doing particularly well in the VF Corporation portfolio. TBH, I know that VF acquired Supreme for its "Street" aesthetic and creds, but VF Corporation soon realised that the Luxury angle of "Supreme" didn't fit well in the brands portfolio of VF corporation. Hence the sale has come within 4 years of acquisition Overall, the acquisition by EssilorLuxottica is going to be a tricky one, a lot will depend on the realisation of the perceived synergies through collabs with Luxxotica brands. Am wondering if Supreme can have a play in the META Luxxotica Collaboration as well. Time will tell. #supreme #luxxotics #acquisitions #M&A #investmentbanking #jpmorgan https://lnkd.in/d6mqA6S7.

How Lenskart got the eyewear business right? Read on.. You would have probably seen a lot of spectacle stores in each gully during your childhood days. Growing up I always felt Gangar eyenation or the local lucky opticals would grow up big one day. Who would have thought Lenskart would have taken away their marketshare fast forward in 2023? I used to be loyal fan of Titan eyewear for 2 reasons - trust and quality. But I couldn't keep with replacements as the frames were just not getting better. The stores used to have same set of old frames which I never liked. Here's where the entrepreneural mindset of Piyush bansal and his team comes in. Lenskart capitalised on this gap (or rather opportunity) by offering 3D try ons and most importantly trendy frames of good quality. A frame that could easily last a year. Post that it made an attractive proposition for the customer of 1 1 offer with gold membership and a seamless checkout experience. Genius stroke, I would say. He identified the need of the market and realised could deliver the same and in fact better frames at better costs by leveraging online presence. Having started as digital eyewear company today the company spawns more than 2000 retail physical stores. Customer care was made a priority along with the focus on backward integration to cut costs and continuous improvement in its processes to ensure a profitable business model in the long run. Such model once scaled is sure to reap the benefits of operating leverage. Innovation and customer centricity is what brings in new customers and sure Lenskart does this with ease with its quality and pricing that touch the pulse of the consumer. Today, me, most of my friends, colleagues and acquaintances own specs from lenskart. A long way to go for them for sure. Wish them all success ✌️. #lenskart #eyewear #customerexperience #enterpreneurship #innovation

EssilorLuxottica's $1.5B acquisition of Supreme is a game-changing move in the fashion industry. By combining Supreme's iconic streetwear brand with EssilorLuxottica's expertise in luxury eyewear, this strategic merger aims to create a unique blend of high-end fashion and urban style. In a statement, EssilorLuxottica chairman and CEO Francesco Milleri said, “we see an incredible opportunity in bringing an iconic brand like Supreme into our company.” Milleri added that Supreme “perfectly aligns with our innovation and development journey, offering us a direct connection to new audiences, languages and creativity.” This partnership is set to unlock new market opportunities, attract a broader audience, and redefine the boundaries of both the eyewear and streetwear sectors. Exciting times ahead for innovation and growth in the fashion landscape! Read details here: https://lnkd.in/dnDFUaME #Acquisition #FashionIndustry #BusinessStrategy #Innovation #EssilorLuxottica #Supreme #MarketExpansion

GKB Opticals, the distinguished national optical retail chain with over 60 years of legacy, introduces the highly anticipated collections of Tom Ford and Zegna's eyewear range at Vision Lounge Mumbai. The entire store was adorned with the complete range of Tom Ford eyewear, showcasing an exclusive preview of the spring release of 2024. #retailnews #retailtrends #retailsector #retailindustry #retailing #retailresults #retailupdates #businessnews #retailgrowth #retailsectornews #retailindia #retailreports #retailtechcase #retailtrends #retailbusiness

EssilorLuxottica, a global leader in the eyewear industry, has taken a significant step by acquiring the iconic streetwear brand Supreme. Founded in 2018 through the merger of French Essilor and Italian Luxottica, EssilorLuxottica is known for brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Oliver Peoples. EssilorLuxottica has a history of strategic acquisitions. Notable successes include Ray-Ban and Oakley, which have strengthened its market position in the eyewear industry. However, the company has also faced challenges, particularly in integrating diverse brands and expanding into new sectors. Despite these challenges, EssilorLuxottica's focus on innovation and high-quality products has helped it maintain a strong market presence. The Acquisition of Supreme In 2024, EssilorLuxottica acquired Supreme from VF Corporation for $1.5 billion. Supreme, founded in 1994 in New York, is renowned for its unique brand identity and strong presence in streetwear culture. The acquisition is seen as a strategic move to diversify EssilorLuxottica’s portfolio and tap into new, younger demographics. EssilorLuxottica plans to preserve Supreme's brand identity and direct commercial approach while leveraging its own expertise in manufacturing and distribution. What's Next for Supreme? Under EssilorLuxottica’s ownership, Supreme will continue to operate with its current leadership, including founder James Jebbia. The focus will be on maintaining Supreme's unique brand while expanding its reach through EssilorLuxottica’s global infrastructure. This acquisition aligns with EssilorLuxottica's strategy to blend iconic brands with innovation, aiming for long-term growth and market expansion. ---------------------------------------------------- If you enjoyed this post, follow me at Varun Shroff for daily insights into unique brands across various industries each week!

The acquisition of Supreme by eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica marks a fascinating turn in the streetwear industry. While Supreme remains an iconic brand, it's no secret that consumer tastes are evolving. The streetwear craze that peaked around 2017 has seen a shift. Hype-driven drops and limited-edition items don't hold the same sway they once did. Customers are increasingly seeking quality, versatility, and a sense of personal style over fleeting trends. Could this acquisition be a strategic move to adapt to these changing preferences? It will be interesting to see how this partnership evolves Supreme's product offerings and brand identity. Will we see a focus on more accessible, everyday pieces? Or perhaps a fusion of streetwear aesthetics with functional eyewear? One thing is certain: the streetwear landscape is forever changing, and this acquisition signals a potential new direction for the industry. What are your thoughts on this strategic move?