Gentle Monster is an “experimental-art-meets-Korean-eyewear” brand making a big name in China’s luxury market. It is attracting customer dollars (renminbi) with celebrity backers, statement-making styles and a retail experience – known as ‘retailtainment’ – while appealing to Chinese eye health concerns.

Prescription glasses have shaken off their ‘geeky’ image and are increasingly being viewed as another accessory with which to create an aesthetic. This shift in perception is causing the eyewear market to diversify, with independent, direct-to-consumer brands challenging the industry’s titans.

Ace & Tate hopes to shake up the eyewear market by offering an innovative and human approach to getting a new pair of specs. People are embracing glasses as means of expressing their identity. Ace & Tate is getting it right with its personable customer services and emotional storytelling.

Luxury eyewear brand Cutler and Gross is so proud of its heritage that it's opening a dedicated vintage boutique, selling only its older creations. The London store will stock sunglasses from the brand’s 45-year history alongside modern accessories, saving its fans hours of scouring eBay.