OK, so you might think writing about sunglasses is not nearly as important as writing about racism or Asian American role models or earthquakes in Japan. But I submit that the search for glasses that fit on Asian faces without sliding down our noses and smearing on our cheeks, or smashing our eyelashes (those of us who have long lashes, real or fake) can be pretty darned important, and for one Japanese American entrepreneur, downright critical.
I’ve worn glasses since third grade, except for a few years after 2000 when I got lasiked and experienced the miracle of not having to wear glasses. Today, my eyes have gotten worse so I need to wear glasses again but I take them off when I’m sitting at the computer and don’t need them for watching TV. And the glasses I do wear have much — much — thinner lenses than I’ve worn in the past.
But one frustrating part of being Asian and wearing glasses is that I couldn’t wear plastic frame or horn-rimmed style glasses or sunglasses without having them slip down my nose and stick against my cheeks. My low bridge and high cheekbones never quite fit with the small protruding attached nose pieces those kinds of frames had. Instead, I had to order wire-framed glasses because they had the adjustable nose-pieces that I could pull out (I broke them off a couple of times) to make the glasses sit better on my nose.
There have been times when wireframes have been hip, so I accepted my fate. But I wasn’t able to wear timeless cool sunglasses like the original Ray-Ban Wayfarer, without pushing them up very few minutes.
But one entrepreneurial Japanese American, Megumi Hosogai, is bringing fashion flash to Asian faces with her MEGUMI-O sunglasses, Jackie Onassis-style big round sunglasses that scream retro-chic on any face. Hosogai created a frame that Jackie-O might have worn, but with an extended bridge designed specially for Asian faces (or for people who have extra-long eyelashes). So far she has them available in a handful of LA boutiques, but she’s started a Kickstarter fundraising campaign to raise money to mass-produce her glasses.
Another Asian American, Alexandra Peng Charton, launched a line of eyewear made to fit Asian faces with her copany, TC Charton. But Hosogai is so earnest about the potential of her MEGUMI-O glasses that it’s hard not to root for her to succeed.
Last week Hosogai said she had the “best day of my life” when she was able to snap a series of photos of reality TV mob wife Renee Graziano wearing MEGUMI-Os.
When she’s not pouring all her money and energy into launching Megumi-O, Hosogai is is a commercial real estate agent. Born in Yokohama, raised in Hawai’i (where she attended the same Punahou prep school as Barack Obama) and educated at Loyola in New Orleans, she’s obviously a smart, sassy woman on a mission. She also acts when time allows… but then doesn’t everyone in LA?
MEGUMI-O is Hosogai’s priority these days, and she needs your help. The way Kickstarter works, she needs a minimum of $10,000 in donations by Sunday, April 1. So far she’s raised $1,371 from 20 backers toward that goal, with 42 days left in the campaign. If she doesn’t raise the minimum $10,000, which is what she needs to begin mass-producing her sunglasses, she won’t receive any of the donations and all the backers won’t be charged the amounts they promised. Here’s the page to donate.
It would be cool to see her succeed. Personally, I’d like to see what she comes up with for men once she has her company up and running and getting enough revenues to come up with more styles. Maybe an extended-bridge version of the classic Wayfarer look?
Count me in!
I love the idea of sunglasses that actually work with long eyelashes…good for Hosogai to go after something that helps promote style!
Thanks Tammy. By the way, they’re polarized UV400 lenses so you can see really well behind the dark lenses. I had negative 12 vision until Lasik (still wear glasses at night and in front of computer) so I made sure you can see better with the glasses on, then without.
Hey ladies check out Megumi’s sunglasses, She has been working hard to get her line off and running. Guys it could be a good present for your girlfriend or wife.
These are way cool and what a great write up!!
I have ordered the glasses and I cannot wait to recieve them. I think the idea is great, I like the shape and the tint of the glasses, and I loved the video. Rock Mega Lashes!
Good for you for ordering the glasses — but I bet Megumi would really love it if you could donate money to her Kickstarter campaign — check out the link in my blog, because for a certain level of donation you’ll get a pair of the glasses as a thank-you premium! Thanks for your comment….
Time to look like a rockstar, I LOVE IT.
Fantastic idea! Hosogai is on to something big with this line of sunglasses!
I am so excited I will finally be able to wear sunglasses with my Mega lashes comfortably.
I think its amazing that we finally have sunglasses that perfectly frame our delicate asian faces. We no longer have to worry about sunglasses slipping at the bridge of our nose , these babies just lay there like tanners lying on the sand under the sun. I love how it looks oh so chanel inspired. A touch of Audrey Hepurn on to asian beauty. Cheers, now any asian women could look and feel like a runway model or class a actress.
After you do the glasses, could you do massage tables, too? My chiro has a table whose face rest digs right into my eyes. Ouch! It’s obviously designed only for people with deep-set eyes. 🙁
I LOVE Megumi-Os!!! My biggest issue with sunglasses was that they would rest heavy on my cheeks and leave marks on my face, not with Megumi-Os. These glasses are very FAB, a cross between Jackie O & Audrey Hepburn…in other words, very me! Love them…everyone should be rockin’ Megumi-Os!
Oh, how I’m looking forward to rockin’ me some Megumi-Os!
Because I can’t try on the glasses in a store anywhere near my home, I ordered them online, willing to potentially lose $15 on shipping if they didn’t fit, which I was hoping wouldn’t happen. Megumi’s order confirmation email stated she would email me when the product was shipped so I can track it. So I waited for the email. A week went by, never got the email. I asked her for an update. She replied it had already been delivered, did I not receive it. No apologies for forgetting to send the shipping confirmation email. I checked my mailbox and there it was with a nice hand-written note; the glasses were cute. But disappointingly they touched my cheeks even when I wasn’t smiling. When she says “minimize cheek touch”, it’s the same as cheek touch. After all the anticipation of finding the right sunglasses, I had to tell her they weren’t working for me.
From then on, her attitude switched like Jekyll and Hyde; warm hand-written notes changed suddenly to cold and curt replies. She simply listed her return address, then sent another curt emailing instructing me to send her a shipping confirmation email. Can we say double standard?
I returned the product. No confirmation on her end for a week. I emailed her again, asking for an update. She responded curtly stating she processed the return a week ago, check my account. Really? Of course I checked my account before having to contact her again; we’re not stupid. Then she forwards me some sort of eCheck clearance receipt from.. Paypal! I had paid by credit card, so I expected the refund to appear via the same method of payment. She never bothered to tell me she processed the refund through a different means of payment which I haven’t used in years. So I go to Paypal, but the transaction # Megumi sent is nowhere to be found.
So I’m still without my $250 and Megumi simply states she processed it and I should check my account. For the price of the product, the whole experience has been very frustrating, time-consuming and disappointing. I find it sad, because the idea of having glasses that fit narrow nose bridges and high cheek bones are great. But Megumi needs to work on customer service, quickly, if she doesn’t want to lose anymore referrals. And yes, these glasses still hit your cheeks.
And if this review is not posted on her Megumi-O, I will know the listed reviews are severely skewed.
I’m sorry you had poor service on your order and refund. I’ve approved this comment though. I hope you find glasses that work for you… someone else does make sunglasses for Asian; I’ll try to find the name for you.