Our yearly edition of the Eyewear Market Report has shone a light on the shift in the competitive world of eyewear. For decades, Luxottica has held a firm grip on the luxury eyewear industry with an impressive portfolio, including Chanel, Prada, Ray-Ban, and more. However, a revolution is unfolding – with independent eyewear brands leading the way. Brands like MOSCOT, Jacques Marie Mage, Cubitts, IZIPIZI, and Ace & Tate have come into vision, knocking Luxottica off their top spot.
These brands are redefining what it means to be “luxury” by shifting the focus from logos and labels to craftsmanship and durability. In a market traditionally dominated by big-name designers, these eyewear brands are carving out their own space by offering products that prioritise lasting quality over fleeting trends.
What’s driving this shift? Let’s explore in more detail why consumers are choosing independents over big-name brands.
Craftmanship
Consumers today are more informed and selective than ever before. They’re searching for products that tell a story, reflect personal values, and stand the test of time. Labels are no longer enough; people are choosing brands that bring attention to the intricate details, materials, and craftsmanship behind every frame.
Take MOSCOT, for example, family-owned with over 100 years of legacy in optical expertise and craftsmanship. They offer timeless appeal, high-quality frames featuring a blend of in-house and handcrafted designs, paired with expertly crafted lenses and rigorous final quality control testing. They are a brand that take care in their products to deliver the best for you.
Or Jacques Marie Mage, which takes their family-owned craftsmanship to Japan. With a deep history of artisanship and artistry, they handcraft their frames in Japan using a combination of traditional methods and innovative techniques. Each pair of glasses goes through a 300-step process, with each frame designed with both functional and aesthetic details, showing that it’s more than just a name, more than a product.
Connection
But it’s not just about the product quality—it’s about how these brands are connecting with their audience. From MOSCOT’s ‘join the family’ memo to their in-store customer service, they really go the extra mile to make customers feel at home, like they are truly cared about.
The rise of social media has also played a huge role in the shift to independent brands. Platforms like TikTok are amplifying this appeal by creating a connection between brands and audiences. Through viral content and authentic storytelling, brands like Ace & Tate are gaining immense customer loyalty by just being relatable as well as helpful.
TikTok has also seen the rise of influencer partnerships and accidental links and traffic from answering comments and hauls. This not only gets their brand name out there but establishes a connection and relationship between consumers and brands.
Social media platforms like TikTok are where fashion-conscious users gravitate toward vintage-inspired frames and unique aesthetics. This organic buzz is helping the likes of IZIPIZI outrank traditional retailers and established designers in terms of social score, which tracks engagement and influence online.
With an owned social score of 705 in our Eyewear Industry Report, IZIPIZI’s social media game has helped them reach 6,600 brand searches a month. These brands have moved beyond niche status to become serious competitors in the luxury space, often outperforming big retailers like Glasses Direct, Vision Express, and Pretavoir.
Character
In this new age of luxury, it’s no longer just about wearing a brand’s name on your face. It’s about finding something that reflects your values—something that lasts. This trend highlights a broader movement in the eyewear market: quality over quantity and substance over status.
IZIPIZI highlights a ‘glasses to fit you’ motto, helping you find a pair that not only fits your face but who you are. Creating good-quality eyewear that is better for the planet and made for you. With designs guided by creativity, each frame offers different shapes, colours and textures, which give them a unique character.
London-founded Cubitts believes that spectacles should be loved, not tolerated—wanted, not needed. By combining innovative technology with traditional craftsmanship and attention to detail, they create one-of-a-kind frames. With statement silhouettes, they partner with artists and makers and take inspiration from history and architecture to create unique pieces.
On top of this, their Bespoke service allows you to create personalised glasses from scratch to fit you. Made with character, they encapsulate your aesthetic influences into a single design.
You can see the character truly flourish in these brands. Whether it’s MOSCOT with their American-inspired designs, Jacques Marie Mage and their Japanese storytelling drawing upon references from culture and generations in their designs or Ace & Tate creating everyday icons, they’re more than just a name or a look.
The proof is in the data.
Thanks to our Salience Index, you can see clearly that these brands are not only changing the eyewear industry; they’re reshaping the very definition of what it means to be “luxurious.”
With the data to prove it, MOSCOT has experienced a strong +21% YoY growth, Ace & Tate is up +70% YoY, and Cubitts has seen a staggering +85% YoY increase. Taking things to the next level, IZIPIZI is leading an impressive +177% increase.
These numbers show that luxury eyewear consumers are increasingly looking for something different – eyewear that’s built to last, reflects personal style, and isn’t tied to a designer name.
So, how can you make an impact and join the revolution? Emphasise the quality of your products to show their value. Highlight craftsmanship, durability, and uniqueness, and tell your story about why you are special. Don’t just let your name do the work for you. Show, don’t tell. That’s the way you build brand affinity, meet user expectations and build a lasting narrative for your brand.
All this information and more is found in our Eyewear Market Report, Featuring insights on over 100 eyewear brands and an analysis of over 9,600 keywords to focus your SEO this year.
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