Ed Bird, Founder of Bird Eyewear / Sustainable Sunglasses Brand

In this episode of the Menswear Style Podcast, host Peter Brooker speaks to Ed Bird, co-founder of Bird Eyewear, the pioneering British eyewear brand combining distinctive design, innovative materials and an ambitious approach to sustainability. Founded by Ed and his two younger brothers, Lawrence and Paul, Bird Eyewear set out with a simple goal: to make better eyewear for a better world. None of the founders came from a traditional fashion, eyewear or optical background, which allowed them to approach the industry without many of its established assumptions. Ed explains how his background in education, event production and music helped prepare him for entrepreneurship, and how Bird began life in 2016 as a side project before developing into a serious business. A major turning point came in 2019 when Bird Eyewear's Blackcap frame won Frame of the Year at the Optician Awards. Ed describes how beating much larger international eyewear brands gave the company the confidence to raise investment and take the business to the next level. The timing of that investment proved particularly interesting, arriving shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. Ed discusses the mixed impact of the pandemic on an online eyewear business, with eCommerce accelerating while demand for sunglasses initially fell as people stopped travelling and spending time outdoors. In response, Bird Eyewear accelerated its optical offering and developed its home try-on service, allowing customers to test fr