The co-founders of an African American owned eyewear company, Vontelle, LLC, want to address the lack of available options for eyeglass frames for anyone who isn’t white.
“In our third year with the concept, [we realized] that it’s not just for African Americans and Hispanics,” Green said. “We have Japanese, we have Indians, we have anyone who has different proportions of their face, right? Some people have rounder faces, larger, those [with] smaller bridges. All glasses don’t fit everyone so you’re having a hard time finding glasses that fit.”Their eyewear attracted some well-known entities when they partnered with ViacomCBS to design Nickelodeon-themed eyewear.
Harris saw the grant application for the Famous Amos Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative and virtually waved Green over. “I saw the thing as a grant and I saw the qualifications, and we fit the bill 100%,” said Harris. “I had a very strong feeling that we would be finalists, and when we actually were, I called Tracy up. I call her for every little success that we get. It doesn’t matter what it is.
Eyewear has become just as much of a fashion statement as shirts, pants, sneakers, and suits. The design of a frame can determine the perception from the outside. The design you wear can be an expression of your personality. Green and Harris understand this.