06 June 2025
Adam and Malya Librae have a combined 24 years of experience in the independent optical industry, something that has led the husband-and-wife team to launch their own eyewear business.
Adam has spent time as an eyewear sales representative in the north west of England, while Malya draws from her experience dispensing and in practice management.
The self-professed ‘underdogs in the frame world’ have three eyewear collections for independent practices and ambitions to extend the reach of the Eyewear Café across the country.
OT heard from Adam on the founding of the business, upcoming launches, and trends shaping the market.
Behind the scenes
When was the brand launched?
We launched in May 2023 with our Latte Series of traditional frames. We thought it best to start with safe frames to get some momentum or ‘runs on the board,’ to use a cricket analogy. In March 2024, we launched our Mocha and Espresso collections. The Mocha Series is all about colour, while the Espresso Series is boutique frames.
What makes the company and its approach or products unique?
We’re chilled and don’t take ourselves too seriously. There’s no hard sell and we offer the opportunity to try something different at an affordable price with no minimum order.
What is the latest collection that you have released and why does it stand out from the crowd?
Our latest collection is the Espresso Series of boutique style frames. It stands out because boutique frames are generally quite expensive, but our Espressos are much more affordable as we’re a small company with few overheads. The collection started with 12 models but, due to demand, has now increased to 24. It will increase to 36 models this year and that will probably be enough!
What are your main ambitions for the next 12 months?
Due to geography and limited resources, almost all of our stockists are in the north of England. Our main goal for 2025 is to open some accounts down south and in Scotland and Wales.
Are there any new projects in development?
We really need a bit of bling – this will be the flavour of our Cappuccino Series, due to be launched later this year.
Beyond the brand
What key trends do you see in the months ahead?
Colour, colour, colour. This has been a thing for the past few years and it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future. People are starting to become more adventurous with their eyewear.
In the medium to long-term, sustainable eyewear will likely become the norm not the exception, and spectacles will be smart devices – like phones and watches.
What inspires your work?
Quite simply, to try and make a living whilst having a bit of fun. We love what we do, and it doesn’t feel like work.
What are some of the external challenges in this sector?
On the continent, eyewear is perceived more as a fashion item like a pair of shoes or jewellery, and it’s not unusual for people to have multiple pairs. I feel this is less so in the UK, where people mostly have one pair for all occasions.
Despite being a fashion item, spectacles are not an impulse purchase in the UK, like a new suit or dress. Broadly speaking, people only think about their glasses every two years when they’re due an eye test.
What are the biggest opportunities that you see currently?
We haven’t even started on the south yet, so if we can make a similar impression to what we have up north, that would be amazing.
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