Gentle Monster was founded in 2011 by Hankook Kim and backed by Jae W Oh. In six years, the brand has gone from a $150,000 startup focused on quality eyewear designed for the “Asian face” – low bridges and oversized glasses – to a $200 million eyewear giant. It did so by acquiring two factories to control production, and developing an iconic design with thick frames and titanium rims.
In February 2016, Gentle Monster opened its North American flagship in New York City, a few blocks away from Opening Ceremony, which it collaborated with on a spring/summer 2016 collection. Its designs — most of which are priced under $300 — are also sold online at Nordstrom and Shopbop, though you really have to try on a pair to understand how the brand is breaking boundaries in the eyewear industry.
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They do cool collaborations
Earlier this year, Gentle Monster announced a partnership with the enigmatic Tilda Swinton. The collaboration showcased a series of great pieces, some of which were variations on the classic Gentle Monster design and others more creative in style. All in all, it created an incredible sensation within the Gentle Monster community. But that’s not the only partnership they’ve had. Other collaborations include Hood by Air, Places+Faces, Henry Vibskov and more.
Celebrities across the world are embracing the brand
It’s not just Korean actors and actresses who are fans of Gentle Monster. The brand has made its way across the Pacific where everyone from the Kardashians to NBA stars (like Russell Westbrook, below) are donning the eyewear. It’s not just an ‘it’ eyewear for Asians.
According to VP of Communications Taye Yun, celebrities like Suki Waterhouse, Hailey Baldwin, Gigi Hadid, Miranda Kerr and Jessica Alba have been spotted wearing the brand, and Korean American interior designer-slash-blogger Aimee Song of Song of Style is also a fan. "You can find it all on Instagram."
Eyewear for every face shape
The brand, which employs eight in-house eyewear designers, releases 350 to 400 — 30 to 40 styles with 5 to 10 color options — new unisex models made of cellulose acetate, titanium steel or stainless steel frames each year. Cellulose acetate frames are easily adjustable for different facial structures because they bend to shape without heat — and without breaking in the process. The black-shaded lenses are made by German manufacturer Zeiss, which also makes lenses for camera companies and NASA.
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