Leading British eyewear designers KIRK & KIRK has announced major expansion plans after a boom in demand following the pandemic.
The award winning designers known for distinctive eyewear shapes and iconic vibrant colours have been worn around the world by stars including Robert Downey Jnr, Jim Parsons, Oasis, Young Thug, 50 Cent, U2, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart, Elton John and many more.
Kink & Kirk has an army of loyal fans who are discerning, independent, opinion formers with unique style. Kirk & Kirk is known for No labels, no external embellishments.
Large expressive glasses are now in fashion. Colourful eyewear is in fashion – expressing your personality. Expression of the joy of being able to go out and socialise again has been the key to Kirk & Kirk’s success.
The demand for quality glasses rocketed during the pandemic because in a world of Zoom and FaceTime, glasses became the visual focus of the conversation. One of the few opportunities for sartorial expression.
Kirk & Kirk grew 42 per cent in the first year of the Pandemic and this year’s growth is estimated to be 30 per cent. The celebrated designer brand has grown from 20 retailers in the UK in 2018 to almost 100 today.
They have opened two stores (optician clients) per week worldwide since 2019) and Kirk & Kirk is sold in 40 countries in independent opticians and invested heavily in virtual try-on technology allowing the business to stand apart from others.
They are the only brand in the world to create handmade frames from acrylic which allows the fully recyclable frames to be very light and comfortable. Kirk & Kirk also create their very our own unique colours. The bespoke acrylic is sourced in Italy and took three years to develop; the frames are handmade in France.
Founded by Jason and Karen Kirk, the husband and wife team have been in business for thirty years. The Kirk family have been in optics over 100 years since Jason’s grandfather Sidney, and his brother Percy, started an optical business in London in 1919, just after the end of the first World War.
Kirk & Kirk Founder Jason Kirk said: “Eyewear is about expressing your true self. You know when you have found the right pair. You look in the mirror and you feel two inches taller.
“The business has grown because the demand has increased due to what happened in the lockdown. People needed positivity and excitement wherever they could find it and when you can enjoy something that you put on every day, it becomes emotionally valuable.
“Consumers and retailers looked for ways to set themselves apart in a sea of mediocrity and limited access to ‘discovery’. Conducting an interview or a business meeting online. What do you want to say about yourself? Expressive eyewear says something about you
Eg I am serious and professional but I am also fun to work with.”
Jason added: “Consumers want to invest in quality and invest in themselves. They are buying fewer articles but each of better quality and are prepared to pay more. People are not going into offices like they once did and quality eyewear has replaced some of the traditional sartorial statements like suits.
“It used to be that the only opticians that you heard about were Specsavers and Boots but social media allows us to discover independent stores and brands from all over the world and opens up huge possibilities for the consumer.”
Kirk & Kirk co-founder Karen, who designs all the ranges, said: “Eyewear has the ability to decorate, accentuate even transform us. The transformative power of the sculpted angles feels like a kind of magic. Nothing brings us more joy than to reveal that inner confidence.
“Glasses are a hugely important part of your wardrobe, forgetting the fact that they improve your vision. In these days of Zoom, glasses are even more important so treat them as the key fashion piece in your wardrobe.
Invest in yourself. Look at the value of suits/shoes/bags/jewellery that you own because you want to give an impression about yourself and afford eyewear the same importance.
“Think about colours that suit your complexion, your eye colour, hair colour, wardrobe choices. You don’t just have one mood so buy several pairs to reflect your personality or environment: ‘quiet, professional but interesting’, ‘life and soul’, ‘confident’… you should feel it in your water more than see it in the mirror.”
