Understanding Copenhagen's obsession with eyewear

The eyewear industry is in good shape. According to a study by Grand View Research, the eyewear market was valued at $183Billion in 2023, and is predicted to grow at a rate of 8.3% from 2024 to 2030, making it mora than a $200 billion industry. The story for 2024 is no different, with sales boosted and stable growth due to both to consumers' rising interest in their health, and a rising availability of spectacles and sunglasses in retail and online channels in developing and developed nations. Between the different categories of eyewear, according to Fortune Business Insights sunglasses are expected to grow at the fastest rate, which also shows itself in the wide product offering by manufacturers, which is further bolstering the demand for sunglasses globally. In Copenhagen, the eyewear industry is blooming more than elsewhere in the fashion world, but are the Scandi’s ahead of the curve, or do they just enjoy making cool sunglasses? There can be little to no doubt that Copenhagen is a leader in the design, innovation and fashion sectors, but in the later years new eyewear brands have been popping up and actually staying afloat and manifesting themselves as front runners in the field, such as Flatlist Eyewear, Vincent Catani, and Research Studio Eyewear.

According to Mads Hancock, owner of Research Studio Eyewear, the success of his performance based eyewear brand is no coincidence; «A rich history of world renowned design & architecture comes out of our small part of the world. Simplicity is key if you want to make a timeless yet aesthetically pleasing product». Research Studio is one of those brands that seem to have spawned overnight, but in reality, the team worked for over eighteen months to finalise their very first collection. The brand is building credibility within the very active city, and even though it is a very new brand, Research Studio is already a consistent companion both on the running tracks around the city and in the fashion scene. Another upcoming name on the Copenhagen eyewear scene is Vincent Catani. The brand made its way to the forefront of the industry in 2022, and the young founder has refused to compromise on quality and craftsmanship from the get-go. With a team of Japanese design partners, and a strong sense of cultural heritage, the sunglasses are inspired by nature and architecture and produced in materials like bio-acetate and titanium, aspiring to be more than your seasonal pair of sunnies. The brand's attention to nature also shines through in the Catani's hopes for the future, which as he says are, «that the eyewear industry will lean more towards the watch industry where craftsmen and designers work together to create a long lasting value for their customers to be handed down from generation to generation». The generational value is something that the Scandinavian designers have always held in high regard when talking about furniture and art, but it seems that some of that has passed through to other parts of the design cosmos. 

The relatively small size of Copenhagen makes it highly attractive for the birth and fluorishing of small, local communities. And nobody has taken that more seriously than Flatlist Eyewear. Ever since its inception, in 2018, the brand has been hosting events, parties, concerts, and dinners collaborating with different artists in the city. Worn by all types of celebrities and musicians around the globe, Flatlist's glasses have been a constant hit in Copenhagen, managing to build a community that loves to come together to party and celebrate the brand's successes. And that has also been of huge importance to the founder Kasper Space, who says that; «We bring people together and believe strongly in community. Since day one we have been interested in the potential that lies in merging industries to tell broader stories. We want to explore the intersection between fashion and music through meaningful collaborations and unlock the creative capabilities of both worlds». And if that wasn't enough, Flatlist now have their own record label to help young musicians in the city produce and record, further dedicating themselves to the future talents of Copenhagen. Apart from the cultural savviness, it is pretty clear what makes Copenhagen's eyewear stand out from the rest is the mindset behind each successful creation: simplicity is key.

According to Fortune Business Insights, in the coming years global eyewear producers  will be creating cheaper and more affordable frames in developing countries, and the limited use of sunglasses in countries like India and Brazil is estimated to impact the market's sales revenue. This may be the most threatening situation for Copenhagen's eyewear future, but nevertheless, the global uncertainty of prices and the higher import duties can affect all productions. Vincent Catani is aware of this, and says; «Today’s customers are more conscious than ever about their purchases. They value transparency in the supply chain and seek to understand how products are made, which enables them to make informed decisions». Mads Hancock of Research Studio is hopeful that governments will be adding «stricter regulations» to regulate unethical productions. «Not everything has to be about profit margins. You only need to produce what you need, and make good, sustainable products that can last for a long time.» It is very clear that Copenhagen's eyewear brands are aware of the challenges the industry is currently facing, as well as the many opportunities that lie in quick adaption of new and innovative practices.