Oakley carries "Asian Fit" glasses, which features a narrower bridge and more room for adjustment
As a Chinese American living in California, it’s always been hard to find glasses in the states that fit my Asian features. Sunglasses in the States have not been made to fit Asians features, which is typically a lower bridge. Sunglasses especially slide down my nose, so I have always found myself having to push my glasses up back in place throughout the day.
Unbeknown to me until I read the article on WSJ.com, Ray-Ban and Oakley began carrying “Asian fit” sunglasses in 2010. Started by a 19-person team in Guangdong and the US in 2009, Luxottica workers created a new line for Asian faces. 30% of the line, which featured “rimless frames, and metal or titanium” is exclusive to China, while 45% of the line kept the classic looks with customized fit and is available worldwide on websites, such as Sunglass Hut.
Now, Luxottica, the sunglass leader that owns brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley and Vogue, which has already created sunglasses that complement Asian features in order to get into China’s market, is looking to expand “special Asian collections” to other brands they carry, such as Prada, Burberry, and Dolce & Gabbana to be sold in China.
As Western fashion leaders aggressively enter China and hire Chinese designers and Chinese growing economy increasing influence , I wonder how much of Chinese standards of beauty will still be dictated by Western standards. As it is now, a status of wealth and beauty in Chinese society is dictated by European luxury design or Wester culture. Is it too far of a stretch to think that as China gains global influence, other nations will be influenced by Chinese designers?
Unlikely to happen in our lifetime, I think, but definitely a possibility in the far future.
