“We’ve chosen to partner with wonderful brands who I think really deserve to get exposure in the UK”

The company is only two years old, but already has five brands in its portfolio – ranging from the avant-garde to sustainably-focused materials.

Josh Hudson, founder of the distribution company, has more than 15 years of experience in the industry.

He told OT: “I still consider us to be quite a new company, but we’ve just got to a point where I feel like we’re hitting our stride.”

Read on to learn more about Hudson Eyewear.

What is the background of Hudson Eyewear?

I have worked in the industry for 15 years. I started with William Morris and was an agent for seven or eight years. I established Hudson Eyewear three years ago. It was really off the back of COVID-19 and the Brexit period. At the time it was quite difficult for European brands to work directly with UK customers. There was a lot of confusion from accounts, who didn’t know how to import the product and all the duties and additional costs associated with that.

I felt there was an opportunity for us to create what is now Hudson Eyewear. My whole family works in the business now. My wife handles the logistics, and my mother is our accountant. We keep quite a small team so that we can provide the products at a reasonable price for customers.

We work with five brands: Sea2see, Tree Spectacles, Bloomdale, Roger Eye Design, and a collection that allows practices to customise their own frames called Logo Project.

What makes Hudson Eyewear unique?

We can’t take any credit for the products, other than sourcing them. We’ve chosen to partner with wonderful brands which I think really deserve to get exposure in the UK. For optometrist-owned practices, that optometrist needs to be in the testing room doing eye examinations, they don’t necessarily have the time for the administration and the additional things that come with importing a product. We take those complications away and provide the practices with access to a brilliant product that is delivered from the UK.

We only work with independent practices. Through this we have realised that each practice is slightly different and wants things to be done in a different way. We’re able to tailor our service and our approach to the person we’re working with.

Tree Spectacles

Tree Spectacles forms part of the portfolio

Can you tell us about one of the brands you partner with?

Tree Spectacles is a wonderful brand owned by Marco Barp, who has been a designer in the industry for several years and comes from a family of eyewear manufacturers in the Italian Dolomites. He is such a talented designer; you can tell it is part of his DNA.

The brand had a UK presence previously, but we have grown its exposure. I’m very excited. I think it’s going to be our crowning jewel. Tree Spectacles have really let us in; I get to see their forward designs so I know the direction they are going in. I can’t influence the direction, which I really appreciate – Marco is a true designer.

The frames are amazing quality: Italian acetate with Japanese titanium temples and all made in Northern Italy.

I know we’ve got a big hill to climb ahead of us, but if we continue to work in the way that we’re working and growing organically, then I think we’ll get there

What are Hudson Eyewear’s main ambitions for the next 12 months?

I want to continue building our exposure. Ultimately, our 10-year goal is to be the biggest distributor of independent eyewear in the UK and Ireland. The next 12 months are about putting the foundation in to become that in the future.

I know we’ve got a big hill to climb ahead of us, but if we continue to work in the way that we’re working and growing organically, then I think we’ll get there.

We’ve only been going for three years, so I still consider us to be quite a new company, but we’ve just got to a point where I feel like we’re hitting our stride. We’ve got a fair amount of momentum, and I’d like to keep pushing, but I’m really excited to see where we’ll be in the next few years.

Could you tell us about your focus on independent practice?

I’ve only ever worked with the independent sector and I just love it. It’s quite varied and each practice expects different things from you, which makes it more of a challenge but also more enjoyable and rewarding. I like dealing with the business owners. I don’t necessarily look at them as accounts, but like our partners. For my business to do well, their business has to do well. So if we can help them grow, then we will grow as well. My mindset is to do what we can for both our businesses to thrive.

This industry is hard to leave when you are caught by it and I feel very much like I’ve been captured. I love it. I love the people we work with and the accounts we partner with.

We try to be as easy to work with as possible. We don’t have any minimum orders, and we support with swap-outs, which is an industry standard but does come with a cost to us.

We have a strong B2B platform that we have invested a lot in. Customers can see the prices, what is in stock, and order directly. They can also see what has been selling well. If they want to, they can work with us to extract that data so they can be more efficient when buying in the future.

Hudson Eyewear

Hudson Eyewear is family-run

Are there any areas you would be interested in growing the portfolio into?

Independent brands will always be our focus. I want to work with brands that push the boundaries of what can be created and what materials can be used to make eyewear – whether it’s something that is sustainable or an unusual product that adds value in its own way.

I’ve been in the industry for 15 years now and what was considered ‘different’ then, versus now, is worlds apart. It will be interesting to see where we’ll be in 15 years’ time.

I want to work with brands that push the boundaries of what can be created and what materials can be used to make eyewear

What are the biggest opportunities that you see in the eyewear market?

I think the industry is really interesting now because there is an exploding boutique market where there are practices that are offering quite unusual and different products. They are changing the way that practices market themselves and the products that they sell.

I also see a massive trend in dispense-only practices opening. Some practices are excelling clinically. They are almost becoming a place where you can get your MOT – everything from eyes to ears. Others are differentiating themselves by product and the sort of experience you get – you’re offered a glass of prosecco when you arrive. We work with both, and I think both are brilliant in their own way.

What are some of the external or market challenges you see facing the sector?

In many ways, the world is getting smaller with the internet. The way that brands can now communicate directly with consumers, but also with the practices, has changed.

The challenges we find in the UK post-Brexit is that it can be quite expensive to work with these brands. You might want to, but it’s harder.

I also think the industry is almost shrinking – and it is changing the way we all have to work.

What key trends do you expect to see in eyewear in the months ahead?

We’ve been through a phase in the last two or three years where everything was very colourful – almost colour-clashing. I think in the next 12 to 18 months we’ll see eyewear become a little more muted. Richer browns and more neutral tones will come through. It was definitely a trend I saw at Silmo and I expect to see again at Mido. There will always be a place for the bright, crazy and colourful frames. I think the trend for the next few years will be more muted and I’m starting to see signs of that already.