Content table for the post
The Eyewear industry
Who Were The Early Adopters
Customer reach strategies they used
Start Making Their First Income
How Jimmy Fairly Scaled Without Burning Cash
They Built a Brand People Trust
Jimmy Fairly’s revenue trajectory
Two countries, two specific countries are great for building fashion brands.
Italy and France started the most popular fashion businesses worldwide, both in clothing and accessories.
These French founders are no different.
Sacha Bostoni and Antonin Chartier
Antonin Chartier was just tired of how eyewear worked.
Too expensive, too boring.
While he was still in school, he saw what Warby Parker was doing in the US and thought, why not do this in France, but with more style?
He wanted to:
- Make glasses more affordable
- Make them actually look good
- And do it all online, no middlemen, no confusing process
He wanted to improve the glasses industry as he thought the experience was outdated, he made it more stylish and fun.
Shortly after Antonin Chartier presented the idea at an event, Sacha, one of the organizers, was impressed by the concept and decided to become a partner.
Antonin added purpose to the brand. For every pair sold, they give one to someone who needs it. Simple.
The Jimmy Fairly brand was born.
The Eyewear industry
Before we write further, let me bring to you some data about the eyewear industry, both glasses and sunglasses.
- Prescription Glasses
2024: $90.07B – 2030: $114.63B
Growth Rate: 4.3% - Sunglasses
2024: $24.1B – 2030 est. $37.6B
Growth Rate: 5.2%
Reasons behind this growth can be a few and some of them are:
- More screen time = more eye strain
- An aging population = higher demand for vision correction
- Fashion trends + UV protection = more sunglasses buyers
- Rise in e-commerce and smart glasses innovations
Who Were The Early Adopters
Early customers of Jimmy Fairly were mostly young urban people who cared about style without overpaying for it.
They were students, young professionals, and creative people with strong ethical views:
Customer reach strategies they used
Started with Instagram: Jimmy Fairly knew their customers were scrolling, not watching TV.
They posted real people wearing their glasses, styled like fashion.
It wasn’t about vision correction. It was about belonging to a look.
Opened one small store in the right place
They didn’t need a fancy flagship.
They opened in a walkable, trendy neighborhood where their audience already hung out.
People could touch the product, try it on, and trust it more.
Website ecosystem
I talked about the ecosystem around a website here the link.
You pick your frame, upload your prescription, checkout, a couple of week later you receive the glasses.
Not only that, they added free returns and fast delivery, so people had zero hesitation.
Their blog features a range of content, including guides on eyewear selection, information about their lenses, sustainability efforts, and updates on new collections.
Newsletter: Visitors to the website are invited to subscribe to Jimmy Fairly’s newsletter.
Subscribers receive early access to new collections, exclusive offers, and limited releases.
This approach helps the brand maintain direct communication with its audience and fosters a sense of community among customers
Packaging made people want to share: Their boxes looked like a gift.
Customers posted unboxings without being asked, design turned into free marketing.
Start Making Their First Income
Their business model is built around:
- Selling each pair individually through their online store and physical boutiques
- Offering transparent, flat-rate pricing that includes prescription lenses
- No hidden fees, subscriptions, or ongoing payment plans
They position themselves as a direct-to-consumer brand with fair pricing.
Not as a subscription service like some US-based brands ( Warby Parker’s home try-on or contact lens subscriptions).
Built for 10 Years, then sold the Majority stake
In 2022, HLD, a French investment firm, acquired a majority stake in Jimmy Fairly to support their international expansion and retail growth.
Before that, the brand was largely built and grew steadily through its own revenue.
Strategic Store Expansion
Jimmy Fairly began with a single store in Paris and expanded thoughtfully into other walkable, stylish neighborhoods.
How Jimmy Fairly Scaled Without Burning Cash
Multilingual E-commerce: Recognizing the importance of international markets, they implemented a multilingual website using Weglot.
This move led to an increase in international conversion rates and a tenfold increase in international turnover
Operational Efficiency: To support their growing demand, Jimmy Fairly established an in-house assembly lab capable of producing 1,400 items daily.
They integrated Satisloh’s E-Ticket System, reducing paper consumption by approximately 800,000 sheets annually and saving the equivalent of two full-time roles
Localized Marketing: When entering new markets like the UK, they partnered with a marketing agency called Halam
Image from thedrum.com article
This approach resulted in a 91% increase in organic traffic and a 101% increase in eye test bookings in the UK. Here are the Hallam strategy’s results
Image from thedrum.com article
Added more SKUs(Stock Keeping Unit), they started with core styles, then expanded into sunglasses, seasonal drops, and collaborations to increase average cart value and repeat sales.
They Built a Brand People Trust
The eyewear industry is very competitive, so if a company wants to stand out, it has to find something that differentiates it from the rest.
Direct-to-Consumer Model: Jimmy Fairly designs, assembles, and sells their eyewear directly to consumers, eliminating intermediaries.
Brand look: If you look at the images of all their stores, what stands out is the brand consistency.
No matter where the store is, the moment you see it, you know it’s Jimmy Fairly.
The glasses, the mirrors, the boutique-like design, everything reflects a clear and consistent brand identity.
It shows strong branding and attention to detail.
This approach allows them to offer high-quality products at fair prices while maintaining control over the customer experience
Social Impact Commitment: For every pair of glasses sold, they donate one to someone in need, through partnerships with organizations like Restoring Vision.
Consistent Product Releases: They introduce new collections every six weeks, keeping the brand fresh and engaging for customers.
This consistent launch encourages repeat visits and maintains customer interest.
Jimmy Fairly’s revenue trajectory
Reflects its strategic growth and market positioning in the eyewear industry. Here’s an overview of their financial milestones:
The partnership with HLD, has since facilitated significant growth for Jimmy Fairly, including the opening of over 30 stores in France, more than 10 in London, and several in Belgium.
- 2011: The company was founded with an initial angel investment of approximately €200,000.
- 2020: Reported annual revenues reached €38 million, marking a 45% average annual growth rate since inception.
- 2023: Estimated revenues were around $75 million, with a workforce of approximately 380 employees across 132 stores in Europe.
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