For Miami-based eyewear company Razón, a buy-a-pair, give-a-pair attitude is helping the world see things differently.
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Sebastian Leguizamon.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 250 million people in the world are vision impaired. Sebastian Leguizamon, CEO and founder of Razón eyewear, a Miami-based fashion brand, aims to significantly lower that number. “You have [millions of] people that can’t read, children that are not even interested in school, people who can’t contribute to the world or the economy,” he says of the challenges that come from having impaired vision.
Inspired by his hometown of Miami, Leguizamon fashioned Razón after the Toms shoe business model of corporate-social responsibility. “Eyewear made perfect sense in Miami,” he says of the collection—three styles of oversize aviators handcrafted from biodegradable and sustainably sourced woods like African ebony, bamboo, and rosewood, available for $305 each. For every pair of luxury sunglasses sold, Razón has teamed up with London-based eyewear company Eyejusters to donate three self-adjustable eyeglasses to global citizens in need.
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Razón’s limited-edition handcrafted aviators in sustainable exotic woods ($305 each).
Taking consumer participation one step further, Razón sends buyers a tracking number for each individual pair of Eyejusters donated, so they know to whom and where in the world their new donated pair of lenses is going, and to ensure that the eyeglasses arrive in the hands of those who need them the most.
Each Razón collection features a limited run; once a line sells out, that’s it. Future collections, like its second, which will be released later this month, will feature new colors and woods, as well as artist collaborations, but no two collections will ever be the same, creating a sense of über-exclusivity that even fashionistas such as Nina Agdal and Monique Abbadie are getting behind.
Leguizamon and his team of Miami cofounders tapped into the city’s global appeal and launched Razón during this year’s Winter Music Conference, where DJs and celebs like Afrojack, Kaskade, and Agdal took note. A few months later, the company made its first philanthropic drop here in Miami, cementing its commitment to its home base. “Our first world activation was here in our own backyard for the world to see how [our program] works and how big of an impact it’s going to have,” says Leguizamon. “People don’t realize how bad [the inability to see] is for the global economy and society. We’re in a world where everything’s dictated by that sense [of vision]. It wasn’t about making cool sunglasses; it’s an overall movement.”
