Pair Eyewear
Pair Eyewear is a direct-to-consumer eyewear company selling customizable prescription glasses and sunglasses with interchangeable magnetic Top Frames for men, women, and kids via e-commerce, America's Best retail stores, and international storefronts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Pair Eyewear does
Pair Eyewear is a New York-based direct-to-consumer eyewear company founded in 2017 by Nathan Kondamuri and Sophia Edelstein. Originally focused on children's eyewear, the company has expanded into a full-line prescription and sunglasses brand serving men, women, and kids. Its core product architecture is a modular system built around a patented magnetic attachment mechanism: customers purchase Base Frames once and then swap magnetic Top Frames to change styles without buying new glasses, effectively turning one prescription pair into many looks.
The product surface includes Base Frames (starting at $60), 1,800+ Top Frame designs priced at $25-$40 each, prescription lenses filled in-house at the company's California-based Lens Lab (complete glasses starting at $80 with prescription), Sun Tops for UV protection, Tinted Lens Tops, and a broad portfolio of licensed collaborations with Disney, Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, DC, NBA, MLB, NHL, Sesame Street, the Van Gogh Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Frida Kahlo Estate. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales across base frames, tops, and lenses, a $30/month Pair+ subscription membership that converts into store credit, and premium pricing on licensed collections. Distribution is primarily e-commerce (paireyewear.com) with country-specific storefronts in the UK, Australia, Canada, and Mexico.
As of June 2024 the company reported annual revenue exceeding $25 million following a 1,305% two-year revenue increase, supported by $145 million in total venture funding across Series A, B, and C rounds. In September 2024 Pair entered physical retail through an exclusive partnership with America's Best (National Vision), placing its swappable frames in 1,000+ stores nationwide and bundling access to in-network optometry services. The company employs 101-250 people and continues to extend its catalog through new licensed collaborations and adjacent product lines such as the Performance Series.
Pair Eyewear firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pair Eyewear
- Legal name
- Pair Eyewear
- Website
- https://paireyewear.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Pair Eyewear is a direct-to-consumer eyewear company selling customizable prescription glasses and sunglasses with interchangeable magnetic Top Frames for men, women, and kids via e-commerce, America's Best retail stores, and international storefronts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pair Eyewear industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Eyewear
- NAICS
- Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Prescription Eyewear Frames (Optical) (CRAAAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Kids & Teen Eyewear (CRAAAKAE), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)
Keywords
Where Pair Eyewear is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Pair Eyewear business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Base Frame Sales: One-time sale of base frames (acetate and metal frames) with starting price of $60. Base frames are purchased once and serve as the foundation for the interchangeable Top Frame system.
- Top Frame Sales: One-time purchase of magnetic top frames priced at $25-$40 per topper. Customers can purchase multiple tops to customize their look for different occasions.
- Prescription Lenses: Lenses included in glasses starting at $80 (including prescription). Lens Lab provides single-vision, progressive, and blue-light filtering options as add-ons.
- Pair+ Membership: Subscription membership at $30/month (first month free). Converts to store credit redeemable on any product. Benefits include extra 15% off sitewide, member-only sales, exclusive products, and access to Pair Reserve tops.
- Licensed Brand Collaborations: Revenue from licensed brand partnerships including Marvel, Disney, Harry Potter, NBA, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Van Gogh Museum. These collaborations drive premium product sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Base Frames |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Top Frames |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Complete Glasses with Prescription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Pair+ Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Pair Eyewear product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pair Eyewear designs, manufactures, and sells customizable prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses built around a proprietary magnetic interchangeable Top Frame system. Customers purchase a base frame once and then swap magnetic top frames to change styles or function (e.g., UV-blocking Sun Tops), with prescription lenses filled in-house at Pair's Lens Lab in California. The offering is targeted at kids, families, and adults and is sold direct-to-consumer online, through international storefronts, and via an exclusive retail partnership with America's Best.
Product overview
Pair Eyewear operates a modular eyewear system centered on interchangeable magnetic Top Frames that attach to proprietary Base Frames. The core offering consists of prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses for women, men, and kids starting at $80 including prescription lenses, with customers able to customize their look by purchasing additional Top Frames ($25-$35 each). The ecosystem includes in-house lens manufacturing (Lens Lab) offering single-vision, progressive (Fluid Focus), and blue-light filtering options. The company also offers licensed collaboration collections with major franchises (Disney, Marvel, Harry Potter, sports leagues, art institutions), a subscription membership (Pair+), and virtual try-on technology. The product architecture emphasizes affordability through the base-plus-tops model and personalization through the extensive Top Frame catalog featuring over 1,800 designs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Base Frames The foundational prescription eyeglass or sunglass frames that serve as the base for the interchangeable magnetic Top Frame system, available in acetate and metal materials across multiple shapes for women, men, and kids.
- Top Frames Magnetically attachable interchangeable top portions that snap onto base frames to change styles instantly, with over 1,800 designs including solid colors, patterns, and licensed brand collaborations.
- Sun Tops Polarized and non-polarized UV-blocking magnetic top frames for sunglasses, providing sun protection while maintaining the interchangeable style system.
- Tinted Lens Tops Top frames with built-in colored tinting (Celestial Purple, Citrine Yellow, Umber Brown, Sage Green, Coral Pink, Slate Blue) combining fashion and UV protection in a single style-forward frame.
- Collab Collections Licensed partnership collections featuring themed Top Frame designs from Disney (Stitch, Winnie the Pooh, Villains, Princess, Mickey & Friends), Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter, NBA, MLB, NHL, DC Comics, Pixar, Sesame Street, Van Gogh Museum, The Met, and Frida Kahlo.
- Performance Series Athletic-focused eyewear collection designed for active lifestyles with enhanced durability and fit features.
- Pair+ Membership Subscription membership program priced at $30/month (first month free), converting to store credit, offering 15% sitewide discount, free Top on orders $200+, member-only sales, and access to exclusive Pair Reserve tops.
- Lens Lab In-house lens manufacturing service that fills prescriptions and produces single-vision, progressive (Fluid Focus), blue-light filtering (Blue Barrier), and premium lens options, with all lenses hand-assembled at the California facility.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,305% revenue increase over two years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pair Eyewear
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pair Eyewear technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Pair Eyewear partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Warner Bros. DiscoverycoreHarry Potter-inspired collection launched in July 2025 in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, featuring magical designs from the Harry Potter franchise.
- GLSENminorFifth annual 'Love Wins' collection supporting GLSEN in honor of Pride Month. A portion of proceeds from all Love Wins Top Frames supports GLSEN’s mission to create inclusive school environments for LGBTQ+ youth.
- America’s Best (National Vision)coreNational Vision's America’s Best became the exclusive retail partner of Pair Eyewear in September 2024, expanding the customizable swappable-frame eyewear brand to all 1,000+ America’s Best stores nationwide. The partnership also designates National Vision's Doctor of Optometry network as Pair Eyewear's official eye care provider, enabling customers to bundle eye exams with their purchase. The collaboration merges direct-to-consumer and brick-and-mortar optical experiences, targeting value-seeking consumers who want affordable personalization in eyewear.
- MarvelcoreLicensed brand collaboration featuring Marvel superhero designs in the Top Frame collection.
- DisneycoreLicensed brand collaboration featuring Disney designs including Mickey & Friends, Disney Princess, Disney Villains, Pixar, Disney Stitch, and Winnie the Pooh.
- NBAcoreLicensed sports collaboration featuring NBA team designs in the Top Frame collection.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)coreLicensed art institution collaboration featuring museum artwork designs in the Top Frame collection.
- Van Gogh MuseumcoreLicensed art institution collaboration featuring Van Gogh artwork designs in the Top Frame collection.
- Lady Gaga’s Born This Way FoundationminorBrand partnership with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation for special edition frames supporting kindness and mental health initiatives.
- Star Wars (Lucasfilm)coreLicensed brand collaboration featuring Star Wars designs in the Top Frame collection.
- DC ComicscoreLicensed brand collaboration featuring DC Comics character designs in the Top Frame collection.
- MLBcoreLicensed sports collaboration featuring Major League Baseball team designs in the Top Frame collection.
- NHLcoreLicensed sports collaboration featuring NHL team designs in the Top Frame collection.
- Sesame StreetcoreLicensed brand collaboration featuring Sesame Street character designs in the Top Frame collection.
- Frida Kahlo EstatecoreLicensed art collaboration featuring Frida Kahlo artwork and imagery in the Top Frame collection.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pair Eyewear competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Warby Parker: Public DTC prescription eyewear pioneer with omnichannel retail (DTC + ~200 stores) and a comparable affordable-fashion value proposition. Closest direct competitor in the affordable prescription eyewear category with overlapping target customers and a similar 'eyewear as style' positioning.
- Zenni Optical: Pure-play online prescription eyewear retailer known for extreme affordability (glasses starting under $30). Competes directly on price and online conversion in the same value-seeking prescription eyewear segment.
- EyeBuyDirect: Online-first prescription eyewear and sunglasses retailer offering affordable frames with virtual try-on. Direct competitor in the affordable online prescription eyewear category with overlapping customer base.
- GlassesUSA: Large online optical retailer offering prescription eyewear, sunglasses, and contact lenses with insurance integration. Comparable DTC motion, similar price positioning, and overlapping value-conscious customer demographic.
- Liingo Eyewear: Online-first prescription eyewear brand positioned as Warby Parker's value sub-brand. Competes in the same affordable DTC prescription eyewear category with similar try-at-home and online purchase mechanics.
- Felix Gray: DTC eyewear brand focused on stylish glasses with built-in blue-light filtering. Comparable direct-to-consumer go-to-market, fashion-forward positioning, and lens-feature differentiation strategy.
- Blenders Eyewear: Lifestyle sunglasses brand built on social media virality and affordable fashion positioning. Comparable consumer-brand DNA, influencer-driven marketing, and overlap in the men's/women's sunglass customer segment.
- Jonas Paul Eyewear: Children's eyewear brand specializing in stylish frames for kids with a focus on hypoallergenic and flexible materials. Most direct competitor in the kids eyewear sub-segment where Pair originally built its brand.
- Privé Revaux: Affordable celebrity-backed eyewear brand offering fashion-forward prescription and non-prescription frames. Comparable value-price positioning and celebrity/influencer-driven marketing approach.
Broad incumbents
- LensCrafters: Established nationwide optical retail chain owned by EssilorLuxottica with doctor-of-optometry offices in-store. Serves as the incumbent brick-and-mortar benchmark for the America's Best partnership and the broader prescription eyewear retail landscape.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pair Eyewear social profiles
Digital presencePair Eyewear financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pair Eyewear leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Pair Eyewear funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors23 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pair Eyewear M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pair Eyewear
What does Pair Eyewear do?
Pair Eyewear designs, manufactures, and sells customizable prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses built around a proprietary magnetic interchangeable Top Frame system. Customers purchase a base frame once and then swap magnetic top frames to change styles or function (e.g., UV-blocking Sun Tops), with prescription lenses filled in-house at Pair's Lens Lab in California. The offering is targeted at kids, families, and adults and is sold direct-to-consumer online, through international storefronts, and via an exclusive retail partnership with America's Best.
Is Pair Eyewear a public or private company?
Pair Eyewear is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Pair Eyewear founded?
Pair Eyewear was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Pair Eyewear based?
Pair Eyewear is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pair Eyewear make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Base Frame Sales are the primary driver. The others are top Frame Sales, prescription Lenses, pair+ Membership and licensed Brand Collaborations.
Who are Pair Eyewear's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Warby Parker, Zenni Optical, EyeBuyDirect, GlassesUSA, Liingo Eyewear, Felix Gray, Blenders Eyewear, Jonas Paul Eyewear and Privé Revaux. LensCrafters is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Pair Eyewear have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pair Eyewear.
What industry is Pair Eyewear in?
Pair Eyewear's product category is Eyewear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAKAA, Prescription Eyewear Frames (Optical), with a secondary code of CRAAAKAB, Sunglasses (Non-Prescription). Its NAICS code is 45613 and its SIC code is 3851.