What The McGee Group does

The McGee Group is a privately held, family-owned American eyewear design and distribution company founded in 1975 as McGee Eye Fashions and headquartered in Marietta, Georgia. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio model, holding exclusive eyewear licenses for eight established lifestyle brands — Vera Bradley, Trina Turk, Badgley Mischka, Life is Good, Ducks Unlimited, XOXO, Argyleculture, and Mr Turk — alongside two proprietary brands, Totally Rimless (in-house since 1992, with 350+ unique rimless frame designs) and Jenny Lynn (launched 2021, named for co-founder Jenny Lynn McGee). Products include optical frames, sunglasses, reading glasses, blue light filtering readers, and branded cases, all warrantied for two years against manufacturing defects.

The company's core technology encompasses eyewear design and manufacturing across acetate, metal, titanium, and injection-molded frame categories, supported by a US-based manufacturing facility in Marietta, GA acquired from Dom Vetro in 2021, complemented by global factory partnerships in South Korea, Japan, Italy, and China. Notable engineering includes Vera Bradley's magnetic polarized sun clip-on system, rimless one-piece bridge titanium construction, and an Infinity Collection comfort-focused spring hinge design.

Revenue is generated primarily through B2B wholesale hardware sales to a horizontally segmented customer base: eye care professionals (opticians, independent practices, optical chains) reached via account-based direct sales with Net 30 terms, and gift market retailers (department stores, mass merchants, specialty gift shops) reached through flexible shipping programs and product prepacks. A secondary revenue stream comes from licensing royalties on the eight licensed brand agreements. Distribution is executed through a B2B e-commerce portal (orders.mcgeegroup.com), authorized dealer network, and international distributors, with all orders shipping from the Marietta warehouse via USPS, UPS, or FedEx. The company markets 11+ brands to consumer and B2B audiences through a brand-portfolio website and active blog, with cause-marketing partnerships (Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer, Ducks Unlimited conservation) integrated into the brand storytelling.

Name

The McGee Group

Legal name

The McGee Group

Website

https://mcgeegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The McGee Group is a family-owned, Marietta, GA-based B2B eyewear wholesaler founded in 1975 that designs, manufactures, and distributes licensed and proprietary optical frames, sunglasses, and readers across 10+ brands to eye care professionals and gift market retailers in North America and international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marietta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Branded Eyewear Product Sales: Wholesale B2B sales of ophthalmic frames, sunglasses, reading glasses, and cases to eye care professionals, optical chains, mass merchants, and department stores. Products sold under licensed brand names including Vera Bradley, Trina Turk, Mr Turk, Life is Good, Badgley Mischka, Ducks Unlimited, XOXO, Totally Rimless, and proprietary Jenny Lynn brand.
2. Licensed Brand Royalties: Revenue generated through licensing agreements with established lifestyle and apparel brands (Vera Bradley, Trina Turk, Mr Turk, Life is Good, Badgley Mischka, Ducks Unlimited, XOXO, Argyleculture) to develop and sell exclusive eyewear collections.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The McGee Group designs, manufactures, and wholesales branded optical frames, sunglasses, reading glasses, and eyewear cases to eye care professionals and gift market retailers across North America. Its product portfolio spans 10+ brands combining exclusive licensed names (Vera Bradley, Badgley Mischka, Trina Turk, Mr Turk, Life is Good, Ducks Unlimited, XOXO, Argyleculture) with proprietary lines (Totally Rimless, Jenny Lynn, TR Optics). Manufacturing leverages both US-based acetate production in Marietta, GA and global factory partnerships across South Korea, Japan, Italy, and China.

Product overview

The McGee Group is an American family-owned eyewear design and manufacturing company headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, with over 45+ years of experience. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio strategy, offering optical frames, sunglasses, and readers through two primary market channels: Eye Care Professionals (optical retailers) and Gift Market (retail stores). Their brand portfolio includes 10 distinct brands: Totally Rimless (their oldest in-house brand since 1992), Jenny Lynn Eyewear (in-house brand honoring the co-founder), and 8 licensed brands (Vera Bradley, Life is Good, Badgley Mischka, Ducks Unlimited, Trina Turk, Mr Turk, XOXO, and Argyleculture). Additionally, the company acquired Dom Vetro's U.S. manufacturing operations in 2021 to vertically integrate American-made acetate eyewear production at their Marietta facility. Products are warranted for 2 years against manufacturing defects covering structural integrity, component quality, and initial frame form and color consistency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vera Bradley Eyewear: Iconic patterns and feminine designs for women and kids, including optical frames and sunglasses with signature Vera Bradley patterns.
• Life is Good Eyewear
• Badgley Mischka Eyewear
• Ducks Unlimited Eyewear
• Trina Turk Eyewear
• Jenny Lynn Eyewear
• Mr Turk Eyewear
• Totally Rimless Eyewear
• XOXO Eyewear
• Argyleculture Eyewear
• TR Optics

Products and services

• Vera Bradley Eyewear Eyewear collection featuring signature Vera Bradley patterns and vibrant color palettes, including optical frames, sunglasses, and magnetic sun clip-on frames for women and children. Sold wholesale to eye care professionals and gift market retailers.
• Life is Good Eyewear Optimistic lifestyle eyewear brand offering optical frames, sunglasses, and readers for men, women, and children featuring colorful designs and positive messaging.
• Badgley Mischka Eyewear High-end couture fashion eyewear inspired by Hollywood glamour, featuring elegant designs with crystal and pearl embellishments for women.
• Ducks Unlimited Eyewear Outdoor and wetlands conservation-themed eyewear featuring camouflage and nature-inspired patterns, available in optical frames and sunglasses.
• Trina Turk Eyewear California-inspired women's eyewear blending modern silhouettes with retro inspirations, featuring bold colors and hand-enameled jewelry-inspired décor.
• Jenny Lynn Eyewear Elegant women's eyewear collection named after co-founder Jenny Lynn McGee, featuring embellishments, vibrant colors, and sophisticated styles with sizes ranging from 48 to 58 and temple measurements up to 145.
• Mr Turk Eyewear California dapper-style men's eyewear featuring modern silhouettes with retro inspirations, unique patterns, and bold colors. Handcrafted in Japan with Italian acetates and European components.
• Totally Rimless Eyewear Rimless eyewear collection with over 20 years of design experience, featuring lightweight titanium and high-quality acetate frames, with more than 350 unique rimless frame designs including the PrismLight Capsule and Infinity Collection.
• XOXO Eyewear Fashion-forward eyewear brand featuring unique patterns, striking colors, and sassy confidence in designs for style-conscious consumers.
• Argyleculture Eyewear Contemporary eyewear brand offering stylish frames with distinctive design aesthetics for fashion-forward consumers.
• Optical Frames The McGee Group's core product line featuring prescription eyeglass frames across all their brand portfolios, warrantied for 2 years against manufacturing defects.
• Sunglasses Sunglass frames across multiple licensed brands including polarized options and magnetic sun clips, warrantied for 2 years against manufacturing defects.
• Blue Light Filtering Readers Reading glasses with blue light filtering technology available through the Gift Market channel, featuring premium materials and stylish designs for specialty retail.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 350 unique rimless frame designs created in over 20 years
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wellspring LivingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The Jenny Lynn Foundation partners with Wellspring Living to support its mission of transforming lives of those at risk or victimized by sexual exploitation. Due to successful inaugural year of Jenny Lynn Eyewear, close to $7K was donated and all women in treatment at Wellspring receive glasses.
• Dom VetrocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021McGee Group acquired Dom Vetro's U.S. manufacturing operations to introduce American-made products and on-shore production for sustainability. The partnership leverages Dom Vetro's quality and skill demonstrated by founder Ashley Bezamat. Dom Vetro continues operations in Los Angeles and Veneto, Italy.
• Life is Good PlaymakersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Life Is Good Playmakers focuses on bringing happiness to children who need positive role models. McGee Group supports this mission and shines a spotlight on the great work being done to instill confidence, purpose, and joy in kids' lives.
• Ducks UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006A proud partner since 2006, The McGee Group is inspired by Ducks Unlimited's commitment to conserve the great American wetlands. DU Eyewear has donated over $1.5 million to conservation efforts. Ducks Unlimited has more than 700,000 members and has helped conserve more than 15 million acres of land.
• Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast CancercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998The McGee Group has proudly partnered with the Vera Bradley Foundation for more than 15 years. The Foundation has raised nearly $37 million for breast cancer research since 1998. McGee Group crafts seasonal eyewear featuring Foundation patterns and donates a portion of every Vera Bradley frame sold.
• Vera BradleycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerExclusive licensee for Vera Bradley eyewear. McGee Group designs and manufactures ophthalmic frames, sunglasses, reading glasses, and cases featuring Vera Bradley's iconic patterns. Partnership includes support for Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.
• Trina TurkcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerExclusive licensee for Trina Turk eyewear. Modern and optimistic outlook melding classic American design with California confidence. Founded in 1995 as a women's contemporary clothing line, Trina Turk has evolved into a lifestyle brand.
• Badgley MischkacoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerExclusive licensee for Badgley Mischka couture eyewear. Hollywood glamour meets luxury eyewear design with red carpet-ready styles featuring Preciosa pearls and elegant constructions.
• Life is GoodcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerExclusive licensee for Life is Good eyewear. Brand known for promoting a lifestyle of optimism, helping people focus on the good. Eyewear collections include men's, women's, and kids' styles.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Marchon Eyewear:
• De Rigo: Italian eyewear group producing licensed branded frames (Police, Sting, Lozza) and operating retail concepts like the Bright Eyes chain. Comparable to McGee as a licensed-brand eyewear manufacturer serving optical and department-store channels.
• Safilo Group: Global eyewear manufacturer and licensor of branded optical frames and sunglasses for brands like Carolina Herrera, Hugo Boss, and Kate Spade. Direct competitor to McGee in the licensed-brand B2B wholesale model serving optical retailers worldwide.
• Marcolin Group: Italian eyewear company that designs, manufactures, and distributes branded optical frames and sunglasses under licenses including Tom Ford, Ermenegildo Zegna, and Guess. Closely comparable to McGee's licensed-brand portfolio model and B2B channel strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mcgeegroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/themcgeegroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The McGee Group