Alo enters eyewear market with new sunglasses line

Alo is adding another category to its fast-expanding lifestyle portfolio. The Los Angeles-based wellness brand is launching its first sunglasses collection on Wednesday, marking its formal entry into eyewear as it continues to build out its ambitions beyond activewear.

The debut line comprises six silhouettes — Rectangle, Oval, Cat Eye, Wire Frame, Aviator and Speed — priced between 250 and 375 dollars. The acetate styles, offered in black and tortoise, sit at the top of the range at 375 dollars, while the sport-leaning Speed frame anchors the collection at 250 dollars. Select styles feature palladium and gold-plated hardware.

Designed in Los Angeles, the frames are handcrafted in Japan from Takiron acetate, a material Alo highlights for its depth and durability, with each frame hand-polished by artisans. "For this inaugural launch, we landed on six signature silhouettes that strike a balance between trend and timelessness," said Abby Gordon, chief merchandise and design officer at Alo, in a statement, adding that the Japanese craftsmanship behind the frames reflects "an unwavering commitment to quality."

In keeping with the brand's direct-to-consumer model, the collection will be sold exclusively online and the company's own retail stores, which it calls Sanctuaries, worldwide, with the exception of Korea.

Celebrity-fronted campaign

The launch is accompanied by a campaign filmed in Miami by director Bardia Zeinali, with photography by Stuart Winecoff and styling by Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele. Each of the six frames is fronted by a different face: models Lila Moss, Lara Stone, Alton Mason, Amelia Gray, Mathew Noszka and Estelle Chen. Gray, who previously appeared in the campaign for Alo's bag collection, returns to front the Speed style.

"So much of Alo's belief system is rooted in the power of the mind to shape your reality," said Summer Nacewicz, executive vice president of marketing and creative at Alo, in a statement, describing the campaign as an exploration of the idea that "perspective is everything."

Eyewear as the next margin play

The move continues a steady march of category extensions at Alo, which has already stretched from yoga apparel into beauty, footwear and handbags.

Founded in 2007 and privately held, Alo has grown its store fleet from fewer than a dozen locations in early 2023 to more than 150 worldwide, including a six-storey flagship in Seoul, and has a roughly 2,100-square-metre flagship planned for the Champs-Élysées in Paris, placing it alongside Nike, Adidas, On and direct rival Lululemon on the avenue.

Alo is not alone in reaching for sunglasses this summer. The category has become a favoured second act for lifestyle brands, with Pura Vida, Monos and Tecovas all debuting eyewear in recent months.