The global eyewear market — which spans prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and sunglasses — has been experiencing significant growth in recent years. Forbes reports that the industry is expected to nearly double in value by 2030, with the need for luxury, diversity, and sustainability mainly contributing to its growing revenue.
Part of that growth is due to celebrity involvement. Hollywood stars have long been fans of eyewear models that they can play with to change their looks — although some celebrities who look completely different with glasses may still come as a shock to fans. After all, we usually associate household names like J-Lo, Robert Downey Jr., Lady Gaga, and Jay-Z with red-carpet glamour and forget that they need eyewear correction too! Now, major celebrities are starting to add their touch to the design, curation, and promotion of eyewear products through partnerships and collaborations.
Let’s look at some of the stars utilizing their platform to bring functional and fashion-forward eyewear further into the mainstream.
1. Sharon Stone x LensCrafters
For Golden Globe award-winning actress Sharon Stone, finding the right eyeglasses is possible through a personalized, elevated experience. This is the overarching message of her campaign with optical retailer LensCrafters. As the face of the 2022 ‘Your Eyes First’ campaign, Stone is sporting a versatile selection of trendy yet timeless frames from brands and designers like Ray-Ban, Dolce & Gabbana, and Prada.
At the same time, Stone’s television commercial shot by Jeff Tomsic showcases how the online retailer prioritizes eye health through innovative lens technology, comprehensive eye exams, and high-quality prescription eyewear. Stone’s two-year campaign with LensCrafters is designed to be omnichannel, with her photoshoot and commercial displayed within physical stores, on LensCrafters.com, and across the company’s marketing channels.
2. Jennie Kim x Gentle Monster
Aside from its cutting-edge spectacles and sunglasses, Gentle Monster is known for defying industry conventions and gearing its products towards non-Western face shapes. It’s only fitting that a luxury Korean brand redefining the global eyewear scene through identity and diversity has teamed up with BLACKPINK’s Jennie Kim, who has helped put K-pop on the map.
Jennie has proven that her creative skills go beyond the stage by collaborating with Gentle Monster to design and develop two collections since 2020: Jentle Home and Jentle Garden. Both releases feature a range of sunglasses, optical glasses, and eyewear accessories in various shades and limited-edition packaging.
3. Dwyane Wade x Versace
For decades, traditional gender norms have convinced us that sports and fashion are at opposite ends of the spectrum. But through a recent eyewear campaign with Versace, NBA superstar Dwyane Wade — a former NBA Finals MVP who can go toe-to-toe with legends Lebron James — is changing the game and showing us that the two fields can mesh well together.
While Wade has already demonstrated his fashionable leanings throughout his basketball career, his Versace campaign further proves how bold yet sleek his off-court looks are. Wade’s capsule collection features the unisex bridged styles the luxury brand is known for. In one of the high-fashion photographs shot by Mario Sorrenti, Wade dons a special project angular frame, which is a gold-detailed, oversized aviator with the distinctive Medusa design embossed in the center.
4. Roger Federer x Oliver Peoples
Following Roger Federer’s retirement from his professional athletic career, he’s found new fields to dabble in, including fashionable eyewear. His recent link-up with the American eyewear brand Oliver Peoples is highly anticipated, as the tennis pro has always been recognized for his consistently classic style on the court and around it. Federer’s RF brand is set to co-design an exclusive global line of sunglasses with Oliver Peoples. While the collaboration is in its early days, the sunglasses are said to be inspired by Federer’s own sporty and athleisure style.
These examples prove to us that nowadays, celebrities can do more than just one-off paid posts for eyewear. Through increased involvement in product development and marketing campaigns, they can expand the reach of the eyewear market and breathe new life into established and emerging brands.