Orlando: Influential menswear designer Fabio Attanasio prepares for Vision Expo East, marking TBD Eyewear’s tenth anniversary with a premium collection highlighting handcrafted, sustainable fashion. Attanasio aims to enhance U.S. distribution as the brand targets growth in optician markets following impressive sales achievements in recent years.
Fabio Attanasio, an influential figure in menswear and tailoring, is gearing up for a significant moment in his brand’s trajectory with the upcoming Vision Expo East in Orlando, Florida, which begins on Wednesday. Attanasio, who initially launched The Bespoke Dudes blog in 2012 to provide an “Italian and unconventional point of view about style and menswear,” has since amassed a strong following of 578,000 on Instagram, thanks to his global exploration of sartorial traditions from locations such as Palermo, Milan, Bangkok, Dubai, London, and New York.
His venture into eyewear began in 2015 with the founding of TBD Eyewear, intending to create products that reflect his passion for artisanal fashion and storytelling. Over the past decade, the brand has experienced considerable growth, with Attanasio noting that it started with an initial order of just 21 sunglasses and has now reached sales of 12,000 units in 2024. In speaking to WWD about this journey, he recalled his inaugural visit to Cadore, Italy, “looking for artisans who could translate our vision of vintage-nodding eyewear, in sync with the handmade tradition of that hub’s production.”
The acronym TBD stands for The Bespoke Dudes while also hinting at a sense of openness and exploration with its playful allusion to “to be determined.” Sustainability has increasingly become a focus for the brand, which introduced bio acetate frames in early 2020. Attanasio mentioned, “It was just us and Stella McCartney,” referring to the limited number of brands prioritising sustainable eyewear at the time. As the pandemic propelled the trend toward sustainability, TBD Eyewear adapted by incorporating bio-based lenses that use 40 percent less nylon than traditional options and implementing recycled packaging.
The brand is celebrating its tenth anniversary at Vision Expo East by launching a premium line named the “10Y Anniversary Collection,” which features reimagined versions of its signature acetate sunglasses, the Welt and the Cord. Both models draw design inspiration from the 1970s and 1980s and are characterised by visible metallic core temples and gradient lenses, priced at 235 euros each. The carefully crafted sunglasses come in limited edition, with only 100 units produced between the two styles, and the accompanying anniversary packaging serves a dual purpose as a design trinket box.
Attanasio expressed confidence regarding the expected outcomes from the Vision Expo, stating, “We generate half of our revenues online and the biggest market on that channel are the U.S., followed by Italy, Germany, the U.K. and France.” He anticipates that this event will pave the way for establishing distribution within the U.S. market. The brand’s financial performance has been promising, generating 1.1 million euros in revenue in 2023. Attanasio noted that the handmade production in Italy aligns with a reasonable price point, with the average retail price set at 185 euros.
Currently, TBD Eyewear sells directly through its own e-commerce site and operates about 150 wholesale doors internationally. These are managed either directly in countries like Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and the U.K. or via local agents in markets such as Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, South Korea, and Japan. Looking ahead, Attanasio has articulated plans for growth that include bolstering the brand’s presence within the optician and specialty store markets, which currently constitute about half of the brand’s retail outlets. He stated, “I believe the real game is in the optician space, which can really fuel growth and hit the next phase.”
Source: Noah Wire Services
