Warby Parker And Shinola Fight To Be The Millennials’ Choice In Authentic Retail

Let’s address the obvious first: You don’t think that Warby Parker and Shinola are rivals. As of this moment, you’re right. Warby Parker predominantly sells eyewear, while Shinola deals in watches and leather goods. But the countdown clock on their future rivalry started in January when Shinola founder Tom Kartsotis told The New York Times that he plans to introduce eyewear in 2017, and he added that he expected it to rapidly become his largest revenue driver. Shinola signaled that it would soon be engaged in a pitched battle with Warby Parker to be the specialty-retail tastemaker to millennials. Each company has amassed dedicated fan bases who want a little meaning and a warm, do-gooder feeling packaged with their accessories. At the same time, both are expanding into new categories and new cities, pushing the boundaries of their brands. So whose vision of an authenticity-focused aspirational lifestyle is most attractive to people who believe that the soul of a company is as meaningful as its products? Read more at Fast Company.