Breaking Barriers with Inclusive Eyewear: Kathy Tran's Journey with KayTran Eyewear

Written by Fête Chinoise Editorial Team (Kayla Lo)
IMages COurtesy OF KAYTRAN Eyewear

Empowering Curiosity and Action

You may have never realised that you were born with a low nose bridge—a trait often associated with many Asian faces due to genetic factors. You have noticed that your glasses often slip down your nose or rub against your cheek, and you simply adjust them and continue with your day. You have assumed that all glasses are designed this way, unaware that the design might not be suitable for your facial structure. While it's important to note that not all Asians or East Asians have this issue, and it's not exclusive to Asians, it is a stereotype that many second-generation individuals grew up hearing—that they must accept their noses as flatter compared to other ethnicities. As a result, we tend to accept ourselves as slightly different and continue wearing metal frames with rubber adjustable nose pads.

But you have the power to make a change. Sometimes, all it takes is a bit of curiosity and the courage to ask "WHY" to start with. This is the story of Kathy Tran, an Asian-Canadian who launched her eyewear business after struggling to look for stylish eyewear that didn't slip down her face while pursuing her MBA.

Inspired by her personal experience, she crafted a business plan envisioning an eyewear brand tailored specifically for people with low nose bridges or high cheekbones. Encouraged by her professor, it took another two years of research and countless prototypes to create the perfect frames for KayTran Eyewear, launched in 2012.

Challenging Industry Norms

Kathy launched the brand knowing she wasn't alone, and this issue extended beyond ethnicity. Low nose bridges are common among people of Asian, African American, BIPOC, and Indigenous descent. While clothing brands have embraced inclusive sizing such as petite, tall, and curvy, Kathy felt the eyewear industry needed to lead a similar movement.

Compared to clothing manufacturing, the cost of eyewear production is significantly higher. From design and manufacturing to retail, the majority of the eyewear market is dominated by a few major corporations. Kathy once heard from a store clerk that “they don’t really make them for your face." This was not meant to be hurtful but highlighted a fact in the industry, prompting Kathy to question the status quo.

What concerns Kathy most is how this mismatch influences one's perception of their own beauty. While beauty is subjective, trying on ill-fitting jeans or pants can make you feel like you don't meet beauty standards. Eyewear can evoke similar feelings, and some individuals resort to surgical procedures such as rhinoplasty to alter their facial features, while Kathy believes people should embrace their unique facial features inherited from previous generations.

Specialising in Low Bridge Fit Eyewear

Eyewear was a new frontier for Kathy when she started her business. She designs silhouettes and frame dimensions, collaborates with manufacturers to create detailed technical drawings, and conducts numerous tests to ensure a perfect fit for low nose bridges—from bridge width and nose pad height to frame curvature. Once the technical drawings are finalised, Kathy designs the collection palette around a central theme. Her philosophy remains rooted in elevated simplicity, creating styles that are simple, timeless, and elegant.

As a female business owner and startup founder, Kathy often faced challenges and wasn't always taken seriously. In the early days, manufacturers would make mistakes and expect her to absorb the costs. She had no choice but to stand firm in her convictions and negotiate tirelessly with various parties. "It was the only way to make it work."

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SPONSORED BY SCOTIA WEALTH MANAGEMENT

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Now Kathy proudly states that her brand specialises exclusively in low bridge fit eyewear. While some brands have begun offering low bridge fit eyewear, Kathy views these efforts as afterthoughts. Instead of catering to the needs of users, these styles are only slightly altered and are not truly friendly for the low nose bridge group. Additionally, there are very few options available, and they are significantly harder to find compared to options designed for high nose bridges among the companies that have begun offering some low bridge fit styles. Kathy, as a low nose bridge individual herself, shares her experiences with customers, fostering a strong bond that commercial brands cannot replicate.

Embracing Community and Purpose

The brand's social media account frequently addresses common misconceptions about low bridges and humorously depicts the challenges of shopping for eyewear in regular stores, resonating with many low nose bridge individuals. By building a community with its followers and reaching out to low nose bridge customers, Kathy aims to promote acceptance of unique facial features and normalise the beauty of having a low bridge.

Kathy proudly integrates her cultural heritage into the brand by introducing family traditions and celebrating Asian holidays such as the Lunar New Year and Moon Festival. Additionally, KayTran Eyewear collaborates with a diverse network of content creators who infuse unique aspects of their heritage into their work while embracing the brand's ethos. With customers from Canada, the United States, and around the world—primarily female—the brand is well-received by individuals of various descents, not limited to Asians. 

Looking ahead, Kathy is eager to expand KayTran Eyewear's distribution by partnering with retail partners to make their collection more accessible and to offer prescription lenses. After her recent filming on CBC's Dragon Den, Kathy continues to seek opportunities to amplify her brand's voice.

Kathy's journey exemplifies the power of starting with a sincere question and recognising shared experiences. She has demonstrated that making meaningful change often begins with personal insight and a commitment to fostering community. Through her determination and genuine connection with others, Kathy has paved the way for positive transformation. Her story encourages us to celebrate our unique experiences, find our community, and move forward with purpose and passion.

Visit https://www.kaytran.com for more information and to explore KayTran Eyewear’s latest line-up.

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