styles for y.o.u. and sun love: randal ford for foster grant
The eyewear brand Foster Grant has been around for over a century, outfitting Americans with high-quality reading glasses, sunglasses, and now blue light glasses. Originally a women’s hair accessory company, Foster Grant began using celluloid technology in 1919 to manufacture imitation ivory and tortoiseshell products—first in hair combs and clips, and then, after procuring the first injection molding machine to be imported from Europe, in eyewear frames.
Theirs is a long history, but Foster Grant has worked with creative talent like photographer Randal Ford to keep them—and us—looking fresh and contemporary.
Ford shot two campaigns for Foster Grant in 2021: Styles for Y.O.U., an in-studio shoot styled with brightly colored backgrounds that let the faces and frames pop; and Sun Love, an outdoor shoot in Taylor, Texas that cast a range of social media micro-influencers in boldly patterned clothing.
“One of the things I think is so cool about this project is that it spans work in the studio and on location, showing two different aesthetics that maintain the feeling of energy and fun,” Ford says. “We were looking for portraits with authentic, vibrant expressions while also showcasing the product.”
Both shoots highlight the personalities of the talent, which is what good eyewear is meant to do. A necessary medical instrument, eyeglasses can and should also be expressive of the wearer’s aesthetic. You wear them on your face, after all. The outdoor session, for Sun Love, drew from media influencers rather than professional models in order to communicate the casual everydayness of the brand. “These photographs are really meant to connect with the viewers,” Ford explains. “The vibe is young, modern, hip.”