Episode 61: An Introduction to the Intersection of Identity and Product Design for the Asian-American Consumers with COVRY

Jessica Nguyen sits down with Florence Shin and Athina Wang from COVRY Eyewear to talk about how they celebrate and set a new standard for diversity in the eyewear industry. These long-time friends who ended up going to schools on opposite coasts, found themselves working in the same city after college. With offices that were a block away from each other, Florence and Athina met each other during lunch breaks to discuss their business ideas. Realizing that they were always having to settle for eyewear that didn’t fit well, they want to create a product that would reflect the beauty of diverse face shapes. Unlike other fashion pieces that could be easily hemmed and altered to fit one’s body, adjusting pieces that were meant for the face was much more complicated. That is how COVRY was born. What started as their personal desire to produce eyewear that fit them well, soon became this movement away from one-size-fit-all to pieces with sizes that fit real people. In this pursuit of creating eyewear that combines fun, functionality, and comfort, Florence and Athina talk about the importance of listening to their customers. Whether it’s gathering responses via social media or talking to people in person at popups, it was important they were able to hear what their customers wanted and needed to adjust their design accordingly. We end the podcast with the two discussing their favorite pieces and what smart features or superpowers they would want their glasses to have. COVRY celebrates diversity through handcrafted prescription eyewear. Our eyewear goes beyond the standard fit with our exclusive Elevated Fit® designed for comfort. Each design combines high quality materials, such as plant-based acetate, vegan leather and UV protection, with an effortless, classic style for women and men.