The high streets of London are now crowded with boutique eyewear shops. Essilor Luxottica and other private‑equity‑backed efforts are pushing out long‑standing optical chains such as Specsavers and Vision Express. In Soho and Carnaby Street alone, about 10 design‑led brands—Ace & Tate, Bloo Bloom, Cubitts and Jimmy Fairly—have opened stores, while three shops appear on Broadway Market in East London, including a former eel‑pie shop turned Cubitts.

The surge is driven by a desire to offer customers stylish frames at lower prices. Tom Broughton, CEO of Cubitts, began the brand in his flat and now runs a network of 20 stores, including two in New York. He notes that a high‑street optical chain can sell a frame for about three times the wholesale cost and lenses at up to five times. Warby Parker’s model proved that online sales alone are insufficient; a physical network is essential for eye tests and brand loyalty.

Financially, the sector is attractive. Essilor Luxottica made €4.4bn in operating profit on €28.5bn of sales last year, and the UK’s biggest operator, Specsavers, reported £4.5bn in revenue and 26 million frames sold.Modeled after the US pioneer, Ace & Tate now has 93 stores and achieved positive EBITDA after a €65mn turnover.

Yet scaling is costly and competitive. Broughton warns that many brands will burn private‑equity capital before a shake‑out, and technology—virtual try‑ons and face‑scanning apps—may finally change how glasses are bought.