Torus is adding an optical collection to its range of eyewear, further expanding its offering. While the brand only launched in summer 2023, its cofounders Shelia Vance, Jeff Smith and Nima Nejat come with serious industry pedigree, continuing to evolve what modern eyewear can deliver to their customer.
“With Torus Eyewear we are pioneering the best fusion of technology and fashion in eyewear,” claimed Vance, Torus chief visionary officer and chief executive officer. She explained that after three decades of navigating the more traditional paths of the eyewear industry — trade shows, personal connections and global retail visits — and persevering during COVID-19, she wanted to embark on something new.
“This critical period [the pandemic] marked a realization for me: The future of eyewear lies at the intersection of technology, wellness and fashion. From that Torus Eyewear was born — a brand envisioning a future where ‘software’ seamlessly integrates with eyewear. While the eyewear industry is still in the early stages of embracing this technology, and with previous attempts at AI and smart frames yet to fully resonate, we feel that Torus is ready and poised to be a leader in this movement.”
The brand launched with a range of frames with its exclusive energy adaptive lens, a new technology that reconceptualizes the photochromic transition process and adjusts for the light, be it outside, by a window, for violet light [from computers, tablets or phones] or bright white bulbs. Now it is bringing the technology to a range of cellulose acetate RX frames with unique sizing similar to sunglasses. Torus Optical can accommodate even astigmatism or prism. For those with extreme nearsightedness or a significant differential between the eyes [that otherwise require different lens density], Torus is able to cut and customize lens thickness to match, without additional weight.
“I bring my extensive experience and intuitive understanding of the premium eyewear market, but my vision for Torus is not just an extension of this,” Vance said of the nascent brand. “It is a more bold step into uncharted territories of eyewear design and functionality and we are just starting with our advanced energy adaptive lens technology.”
Originally launched direct to consumer, the brand is now working with a selection of premium eyewear retailers including De Muenynck in Monaco, Angiolucci stores in Italy, Studio Optix in New York, Optical Outlook in Beverly Hills and Qatar Optics stores in Qatar. A basic frame with a clear lens starts at $495 and the collections are priced up to about $975 with RX and energy adaptive lenses.
“We are a formidable trio of alchemists at heart, looking to turn our creative vision for Torus into tangible magic in the eyewear industry,” Vance said.
