A tale of two capitals.
Optic is a new, exciting Irish brand bringing cutting-edge Irish design to professionally crafted eyewear. This contemporary eyewear boutique is a stylish addition to the Irish eyewear scene, perfect for glasses wearers who want to feel they can trust the quality of the frames they wear everyday while looking good.
Assembled with love in Co.Cork, substance, transparency and value are important to this brand. Inspired by Irish icons past and present, they hope to bring some of that same attitude to the Irish market themselves, creating frames that are not only better quality, but also as bold and diverse in their styling as modern Ireland is.
For their first ever collection, Optic have referenced some iconic Irish names: Collins, Robinson, Larkin, Panti, and Lynott to name a few. The frames range from the classic Collins, €99, an acetate frame with a comfortable key-hole bridge to the quirkier, Geldof, €149 - the epitome of 80’s style. This frame has a double bridge with a sharp frame and comes in an array of on-trend colours. Each style is distinct, considered, and preserves the uniquely Irish attitude of each of these icons.
Optic is the passion project of two long-time friends- Cathal O’Shea, an optometrist from Cork, and Seán Nolan, a designer from Dublin. By merging their distinct skill sets, they have created something special for an industry that craves innovation. They care deeply about creating a sense of real inclusivity among wearers, supporting worthy causes. For every sale of the Panti glasses, €5 will be donated to BelongTo an LGBT youth organisation in Ireland which caters for young people aged between 14–23 years.
Speaking about the highly anticipated launch, Seán Nolan, Creative Director said, “It took a pandemic to finally provide us with the perfect opportunity for Optic to be birthed. We're really proud of what we've put together. We’ve aimed for Optic to be something diverse, bold, courageous and unapologetically Irish and I think we’ve achieved that.” Having previously worked with a number of premium brands in the Irish market, Seán is really passionate about not just the design of the frames but also the entire customer experience. “With Optic we are aiming to deliver a high quality premium product experience at a price point that’s accessible to everyone.”
“For years we had dreamed about trying a different approach towards providing quality, fashion-forward prescription frames into the Irish market, and with Optic we have finally achieved this. We are delighted with how it turned out”, Cathal O’Shea, Clinical Director adds. With optometry practices of his own, he has seen up-close the changes in the market and the unmet needs of Irish consumers, informing his desire to provide a homegrown alternative to what’s already out there. Furthermore, it’s Cathal’s qualifications as a registered optometrist and past experience working in lens manufacturing labs that ensures Optic operates within the clinical standards for the Irish and European markets.
As a brand, Optic has sights set on the future of Irish eyewear, inspired and informed by the very best that Ireland has to offer. Pairing outstanding service with expertise in optometry and a shared enthusiasm for great design, both founders are excited to see what comes next. Optic is a one stop eyewear offering ready to take on the Irish market.
We're proud of what we've put together, born of a frustration with same old same old and thirsting for something a little bit extra. Optic is new, bold, courageous and unapologetically Irish. We hope you enjoy it as much as we've enjoyed creating it.