Garrett Leight

LA-based independent eyewear. California aesthetic, handcrafted acetate and metal frames.

The father, Larry Leight, founded Oliver Peoples, the brand that reinvented eyewear in the '80s. The son, Garrett, grew up surrounded by frames and hinges in Venice Beach.

When Oliver Peoples was sold to Luxottica, Garrett opened his own concept store in Venice in 2009, then launched GLCO in 2010. The family story continues, but independently this time.

On specialist forums, the verdict is clear: 'Worth every dime,' 'one of the cool independent brands left.' A licensed optician adds: 'quality so much higher than other frames, can last decades.' Metal frames especially are praised for their durability.

Some models are handmade in Japan, others in Italy. No mass Chinese production. The acetate is thick, the hinges are solid, the finishes are those of a brand that knows what it's doing, the son literally grew up in the workshop.

In a market where Luxottica owns practically everything, Ray-Ban, Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Persol, Prada Eyewear, GLCO stays independent. That's increasingly rare and increasingly valuable. When the father sells his brand to the giant, the son starts over and does better. It's a good story.

Garrett Leight's secret is acetate. Not the injection-molded plastic found at 90% of eyewear brands, Italian Mazzucchelli acetate, cut, sanded and hand-polished. Colorways are developed exclusively: unique tortoise patterns, smoked crystals, gradients found nowhere else. Each frame goes through 200 manufacturing steps.

The price point, €300-450, is accessible luxury for artisanal eyewear. Less than Oliver Peoples (same segment, same Venice Beach) and infinitely better than Warby Parker.