Last year 113 million pairs of sunglasses were purchased across the United States. Presumably, many of those were purchased by the 13 million consumers of Asian descent in this country. And it’s very likely most were unhappy with the fit and feel of what they bought.
And for good reason. Asian facial bone structure is generally much different than Caucasian bone structure. Asians typically have a lower nose bridge and higher cheekbones than most Caucasians. And when you put a pair of sunglasses designed for Caucasian bone structure on an Asian face, the glasses will often slide down the wearer’s nose and sit on their checks, leaving a telltale indentation.
It’s annoying and uncomfortable. Just ask Margaret Cho, a Korean-American comedienne. Check out this post on her website: “Why can’t I, an Asian American woman, find a decent pair of glasses that will a) fit my face, b) not give me a migraine whenever I put them on, c) not slide down my nose, d) not give me acne in the spots where the kidney-shaped pads are placed on the glasses, as if that would help me keep the glasses on my ‘misshapen’ misadventure of a head…”
A simple solution is wire rims with adjustable nose pads. But not everyone likes the style. So then what? How do you find a pair of sunglasses that fit Asian features? You either have to conduct an exhaustive search of the existing frames made for Caucasian bone structure and hope to find an oddity, a pair that actually work for you, or, you can try the products offered by the several manufacturers that produce a line of Asian sunglasses, or “Asian Fit” sunglasses as they are sometimes called.
Unfortunately, finding these product lines in stores here in the United States is a challenge. Although manufacturers have had great success selling glasses tailored to Asian bone structure in Asian countries, they have been somewhat reluctant to push them in the U.S.. Gucci, Oliver Peoples, Giorgio Armani, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and Fendi all have small Asian fit lines, but you would never know it. There is almost no large scale advertising of these products.
Why aren’t these brands doing more to make the buying public aware of their Asian fit sunglasses? Because manufacturers do not like selling to one specific audience to the exclusion of others, especially when the distinction is perceived as being racially based. Asian versus Caucasian is not a winner for the marketing and PR departments of big brands.
Some manufacturers have bucked the trend. Oakley specifically uses the term “Asian Fit” for its sunglasses designed for Asian faces. But they have taken some heat for this. One designer has gone further, and does not seem concerned by the potential backlash. That might be because she herself is Asian.
Fei Wang started an eponymously named line of eyewear several years ago designed specifically for Asian consumers. Wang is Chinese but not now lives and works in London. Her glasses are sold on-line and in shops throughout the world.
Things are improving for Asians looking to buy sunglasses, but slowly. In the meantime, they must continue to search out the brands and particular designs that fit their unique facial features.