French Entrepreneurs Crafted Specs-Maker Rival, Boasting Cost-Effective Eyewear
Izipizi, the playful and stylish French eyewear brand, is gearing up for its entry into the American market, with plans to launch its first retail location in 2026. Founded in 2010 by Xavier Aguera, Charles Brun, and Quentin Couturier, the company has seen impressive growth in the past decade, now operating in 85 countries and generating nearly €60 million in annual revenue.
The brand's expansion strategy in the United States is threefold: brand building, distribution growth, and portfolio expansion. This approach aims to increase consumer awareness, improve accessibility, and cater to diverse preferences, thereby solidifying Izipizi's footing in the competitive US eyewear market.
Izipizi first made a splash in the luxury Parisian boutique Colette, and since then, has been sold in over 7,500 retailers worldwide. The company's initial offering focused on self-service reading glasses, but it later pivoted to reinvent reading glasses as a fashion product, offering a range of styles that include sunglasses, kids' eyewear, and sports eyewear.
The brand rebranded as Izipizi in 2016, a play on "easy peasy," and raised nearly $800,000 between two fundraising rounds in 2012 and 2013 from friends and family. In 2022, the company brought in New York-based private equity firm TowerBrook Capital Partners, which injected an estimated $45 million in capital for 25% of the company. The founders, Aguera, Brun, and Couturier, collectively own the remaining 75%, divided equally.
To lead its American expansion, Izipizi hired Jonathan Crespo as its first North America CEO. Couturier oversees sales in European, Asian, and South American markets, while Brun focuses on sales in North America. The company views itself in the mold of Swatch, the inexpensive Swiss watch company founded in the early 1980s, that is now ubiquitous and includes such luxury brands as Omega, Breguet, and Blancpain.
As Izipizi prepares to conquer the American market, it is clear that the brand's playful yet stylish approach to eyewear, combined with its strategic expansion efforts, will position it well to compete in the dynamic US market. With prices ranging from about $50 to $75, Izipizi offers affordable alternatives to brands like Warby Parker, which starts at $95 and goes up. As the brand continues to grow, it is poised to bring its unique blend of fashion and function to eyewear consumers across the United States.
- Izipizi's founders, Xavier Aguera, Charles Brun, and Quentin Couturier, raised nearly $800,000 from friends and family and later attracted investment from TowerBrook Capital Partners, which injected $45 million for a 25% stake.
- In order to solidify its footing in the competitive US eyewear market, Izipizi's expansion strategy includes brand building, distribution growth, and portfolio expansion, catering to diverse preferences while increasing consumer awareness and accessibility.
- To manage the American expansion, the company hired Jonathan Crespo as its first North America CEO, with Couturier overseeing sales in European, Asian, and South American markets, and Brun focusing on sales in North America.
- As Izipizi targets the American market, its playful yet stylish eyewear and affordable prices, ranging from about $50 to $75, offer an appealing alternative to established brands like Warby Parker, making it a promising player in the dynamic US fashion-and-beauty and small-business sectors.
