Finlay & Co
Finlay & Co is a London-based, privately held indie eyewear brand designing and retailing handmade sunglasses and prescription spectacles with ZEISS lenses, sold via two London flagship stores and a worldwide e-commerce platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Finlay & Co does
Finlay & Co is a London-based, privately held designer eyewear brand (incorporated as FINLAY & CO. Ltd, company number 07910188), operating since 2012 with 1-10 employees. The company designs and retails handmade sunglasses and prescription spectacles, with frames produced from sustainable Italian Mazzucchelli acetate, stainless steel, and titanium, paired with industry-leading ZEISS prescription lenses. It runs a vertically integrated retail and e-commerce model: two London flagship stores in Notting Hill (42 Ledbury Road) and Soho (61 Broadwick Street) offer eye tests and product consultations, while a worldwide-shipped e-commerce storefront (finlayandco.com) extends reach globally with Click & Collect tying online and offline together.
The core product portfolio centers on men's and women's sunglasses (£160-£200+) and spectacles (£145-£185+), with prescription lens options spanning index 1.5 to 1.74, blue light filters, transitions, and polarized upgrades. Complementary revenue streams include the Lens Replacement (Reglaze) service using ZEISS and Essilor lenses fitted into customer-owned frames, eye examinations (£50-£60), accessories (cases, frame chains, suncovers, clip-ons, care kits), and gift cards. Marketing is built on earned media (GQ, Vogue, The Times), high-profile collaborations (FINLAY x Noel Gallagher, FINLAY x WYSE London), and royal endorsement from Kate Middleton.
The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with premium positioning, supported by a self-serve e-commerce platform, virtual try-on capability, broad payment integrations (including Klarna and ClearPay BNPL), and wholesale distribution through independent stockists. The company sells globally at accessible-luxury price points and emphasizes sustainable Italian craftsmanship, multi-brand service capability, and full lifecycle customer engagement from initial eye test to ongoing lens replacement.
Finlay & Co firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Finlay & Co
- Legal name
- FINLAY & CO. Ltd
- Website
- https://finlayandco.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Finlay & Co is a London-based, privately held indie eyewear brand designing and retailing handmade sunglasses and prescription spectacles with ZEISS lenses, sold via two London flagship stores and a worldwide e-commerce platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Finlay & Co industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Designer Eyewear
- NAICS
- Optical Goods Retailers (456130), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury & Designer Eyewear (CRAAAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sunglasses & Luxury Eyewear (CRAKAEAE), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)
Keywords
Where Finlay & Co is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Finlay & Co business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Eyewear Product Sales: Sale of sunglasses and spectacles frames, both standalone and with prescription lenses. Frames priced £145-£200+ with additional revenue from lens options and upgrades.
- Eye Care Services: Comprehensive eye tests priced from £50 (adult) and £60 (children). Children's eye tests available at Notting Hill store. Contact lens appointments also offered.
- Lens Replacement Service: Reglazing service for existing frames with new ZEISS or Essilor lenses. Supports both FINLAY frames and other brands. Available online for UK customers.
- Accessories: Sale of eyewear accessories including cases, frame chains, clip-ons, care kits, and suncovers. Prices range from £12 (care kit) to £235 (Wrapsody frame chain).
- Gift Cards: Physical and digital gift cards available from £50, enabling purchase of spectacles, sunglasses, and accessories both online and in-store.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sunglasses: £160-£200+ |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spectacles: £145-£185+ |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories: £12-£235 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards: from £50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Eye Tests: £50-£60 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lens Replacement: varies by prescription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lens Options: 1.5 to 1.74 index |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Finlay & Co product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Finlay & Co designs, sources, and retails handmade designer sunglasses and spectacles crafted from sustainable Italian Mazzucchelli acetate, stainless steel, or titanium, fitted with ZEISS prescription or sun lenses. The company sells its own branded eyewear alongside complementary in-store services including comprehensive eye tests, lens replacement (reglazing) for any frame brand, prescription lens configuration, and Virtual Try-On, distributed through two London flagship stores and a worldwide e-commerce platform.
Product overview
Finlay & Co is a London-based designer eyewear brand offering a unified product ecosystem centered on handcrafted sunglasses and spectacles. The core products are sunglasses and spectacles made from sustainable Italian Mazzucchelli acetate, titanium, or stainless steel with ZEISS lenses. These are complemented by blue light glasses (spectacles with optional coating), the Virtual Try On AR feature, and the Lens Replacement Service for reglazing existing frames. The company operates two retail stores (Notting Hill and Soho) offering comprehensive Eye Tests as an integrated service. The product portfolio includes limited-edition collaborations (FINLAY x Noel Gallagher, FINLAY x WYSE London), eyewear accessories (cases, suncovers, frame chains, clip-ons), and gift cards. The offering spans frames-only to complete prescription solutions with industry-leading ZEISS lenses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sunglasses Designer sunglasses handmade in Italy from sustainable Italian Mazzucchelli acetate, stainless steel, or titanium, featuring world-renowned ZEISS lenses for optimal clarity and UVA/UVB protection. Includes men's and women's collections priced £160-£200+.
- Spectacles Prescription eyewear frames designed in-house at the London studio and handcrafted by expert frame makers using sustainable Italian Mazzucchelli acetate, stainless steel, or titanium with industry-leading ZEISS prescription lenses. Priced £145-£185+.
- Blue Light Glasses Spectacles with optional blue light filter coating to help tired eyes relax after screen time, available with or without prescription. Designed for digital device users experiencing eye strain.
- FINLAY x Noel Gallagher Collaboration Limited edition designer sunglasses collection co-developed with musician Noel Gallagher, combining Finlay's handmade Italian acetate craftsmanship with Gallagher's aesthetic vision.
- FINLAY x WYSE London Collaboration Designer eyewear collaboration collection co-developed with WYSE London, combining both brands' aesthetic sensibilities in a co-branded eyewear range.
- Eyewear Accessories Range of eyewear accessories including leather cases and sleeves, designer suncovers (Anydi brand), frame chains with Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls, clip-ons, and care kits. Prices range from £12 (care kit) to £235 (Wrapsody frame chain).
- Eye Tests Comprehensive eye examinations with world-class clinical care performed by expert optometrists. Includes adult eye tests (from £50), children's eye tests (from £60, ages 5-18, available at Notting Hill store only), and contact lens appointments. Available at Notting Hill and Soho London stores.
- Lens Replacement Service Lens replacement and reglazing service fitting new ZEISS or Essilor lenses into existing frames. Available for all FINLAY frames and eyewear from other brands (excluding damaged or Horn frames). UK only, with options for clear prescription, sun, reading, and polarized lenses.
- Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards available in denominations from £50, redeemable for spectacles, sunglasses, and accessories both online and in-store with no expiry date.
- Prescription Lens Options Premium ZEISS prescription lens configuration service with multiple options including single-vision, varifocal/progressive, various thickness levels (1.5 Regular to 1.74 Ultra-thin), plus optional blue light filter, Transitions, and polarized coatings. Available with purchase of FINLAY spectacles.
Quantifiable outcome
- Frames crafted to be passed to next generation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Finlay & Co
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Finlay & Co technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
Feature4 records
Finlay & Co partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Noel GallagherflagshipFINLAY x NOEL GALLAGHER collaboration featuring exclusive sunglass designs. Limited edition collection combining the brand's Italian craftsmanship with Gallagher's artistic influence.
- WYSE LondoncoreFINLAY x WYSE London collaboration. Joint brand partnership creating exclusive eyewear designs combining both brands' aesthetic sensibilities.
- ZEISScoreStrategic lens partnership providing world-renowned ZEISS prescription lenses in all optical frames. Features scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coatings and UVA/UVB protection as standard. Also used in lens replacement service.
- EssilorcorePremium lens partnership providing Essilor lenses alongside ZEISS for lens replacement service. Offers multiple lens index options (1.5-1.74) for different prescription requirements.
- MazzucchellicoreSustainable Italian acetate supplier. Mazzucchelli acetate is described as better for the environment and stronger than alternatives, used across all FINLAY frames.
- Barlow & BarlowminorFounders Lucy & Josh Sear-Barlow of Barlow & Barlow featured in FINLAY Meets editorial series, highlighting independent eyewear community connections.
- Talis ChainsminorThird-party frame chain brand stocked in FINLAY stores and website. Multiple Talis Chain designs available including Monte Carlo, Paris, and Freshwater Pearl collections.
- Any Di (Anydi Suncovers)minorDesigner suncover brand stocked in stores and online. Collectable designer Anydi Suncovers offered as eyewear protection accessories with various artistic designs.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Finlay & Co competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cutler and Gross: London-based independent designer eyewear brand with a near-identical positioning: handmade acetate frames, premium optical-quality lenses, two-decade heritage, and a flagship London retail presence. Most directly comparable independent on the UK high street.
- Oliver Peoples: California-founded, now Luxottica-owned premium eyewear brand built on acetate craftsmanship and proprietary lens optics. Competes with Finlay for the same fashion-conscious, premium-frame customer in luxury optical wholesale and DTC channels.
- Persol: Iconic Italian heritage eyewear brand owned by Luxottica, with a handcrafted acetate and steel proposition rooted in Italian manufacturing — closely overlapping with Finlay's Mazzucchelli acetate, Italian-made heritage story.
- Cubitts: Independent London eyewear brand combining handcrafted acetate frames with in-store eye tests and a similarly priced DTC-plus-flagship model, including a Notting Hill presence. Operates in the same neighbourhood bracket as Finlay.
- Jacques Marie Mage: Los Angeles-based independent luxury eyewear brand built on small-batch acetate production and collectible, designer-driven drops. Overlaps directly with Finlay's limited-edition collaboration strategy and premium independent positioning.
- Garrett Leight: California-based independent eyewear brand with a similar premium-acetate, design-led positioning and a DTC-plus-select-wholesale model. Comparable mix of sunglasses and optical frames with a strong independent-brand ethos.
- Kirk & Kirk: Independent family-run eyewear house selling handmade Italian frames in premium independent boutiques worldwide. Closely comparable on craftsmanship narrative, Italian sourcing, and luxury-accessible price architecture.
Broad incumbents
- Tom Ford Eyewear: Luxottica-produced luxury designer eyewear line with global wholesale reach and pricing overlapping Finlay's upper tiers. Represents the scaled incumbent Finlay competes against in department-store optical and luxury multi-brand boutiques.
- Maui Jim: Globally scaled polarized/UV-protection eyewear specialist with a strong prescription lens proposition. Competes with Finlay for the high-protection, polarized-lens premium customer and is a benchmark for eyewear category scale.
Emerging players
- RetroSuperFuture: Italian independent eyewear label producing small-batch acetate frames in Italy with a strong fashion/lifestyle identity. Overlaps on Made-in-Italy acetate story and DTC-led growth model targeting fashion-conscious consumers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Finlay & Co social profiles
Digital presenceFinlay & Co financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Finlay & Co leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Finlay & Co funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Finlay & Co 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 Finlay & Co
What does Finlay & Co do?
Finlay & Co designs, sources, and retails handmade designer sunglasses and spectacles crafted from sustainable Italian Mazzucchelli acetate, stainless steel, or titanium, fitted with ZEISS prescription or sun lenses. The company sells its own branded eyewear alongside complementary in-store services including comprehensive eye tests, lens replacement (reglazing) for any frame brand, prescription lens configuration, and Virtual Try-On, distributed through two London flagship stores and a worldwide e-commerce platform.
Is Finlay & Co a public or private company?
Finlay & Co is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Finlay & Co founded?
Finlay & Co was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Finlay & Co based?
Finlay & Co is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Finlay & Co make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Eyewear Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are eye Care Services, lens Replacement Service, accessories and gift Cards.
Who are Finlay & Co's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cutler and Gross, Oliver Peoples, Persol, Cubitts, Jacques Marie Mage, Garrett Leight and Kirk & Kirk. Broad incumbents are Tom Ford Eyewear and Maui Jim. RetroSuperFuture is listed as an emerging player.
Does Finlay & Co have an API?
No public API is recorded for Finlay & Co.
What industry is Finlay & Co in?
Finlay & Co's product category is Designer Eyewear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAKAD, Luxury & Designer Eyewear, with a secondary code of CRAKAEAE, Sunglasses & Luxury Eyewear. Its NAICS code is 456130 and its SIC code is 3851.