Business Hour
A trio of Lancashire entrepreneurs are revolutionising the eyewear industry with their new online brand, Yoovy. The new elegant eyewear combines Italian craftsmanship with British style, as Ali Gudgeon finds out
An idea born and cultivated here in the North West and handmade in Italy, Yoovy eyewear offers a premium, stylish range of both spectacles and sunglasses exclusively available online, with standards set by opticians alongside style led by Italians.
The elegant eyewear encompasses a timeless design aesthetic using the highest quality materials and components, combined with artisanal Italian workmanship and the latest technology to create a curated range of spectacles and sunglasses, including prescription, that give discerning clients access to luxury eyewear from their own home.
The founders, all hailing from Lancashire, bring a wealth of experience and passion to Yoovy. Paula Burrows, a seasoned optician, ensures the highest standards of quality and customer care. Dan Collinson, with his entrepreneurial background, has spearheaded the brand’s vision and design. And Tom Kidd, a talented designer, has brought Yoovy’s aesthetic to life.
Paula explains: “Think of an understated style that makes a statement without having to scream it. Our Yoovy eyewear is designed to last and presents optician-led quality with the best protection and performance, as well as guaranteeing style.”
Available exclusively online, the customer journey is simple and informative with a UK qualified optician available for advice on prescriptions and personal requirements. Non-prescription orders including sunglasses are despatched within three to five days. Prescription orders are usually despatched within three to five days of receipt of prescription. Delivery is via Royal Mail and free within the UK.
Yoovy offers six unisex styles in its first curated range launched recently, available in both prescription or non-prescription for sunglasses and spectacles. Each style is available in a choice of four colourways, black, tortoise, grey and green.
Prices start from £145 for non-prescription sunglasses. Standard prescription glasses start from £155.
The idea for Yoovy was sparked by adversity, when, back in December 2022 optician Paula Burrows’ independent high street optician practice in Garstang was catastrophically damaged from flooding. With no online / digital presence to fall back on, her own family business, which she runs with her sister, was closed for six months whilst work was undertaken on repairs.
Paula remembers: “It was a stressful time, but it did give me some time to focus on other opportunities, whilst the repairs were happening. A conversation with Dan made me realise that there was a space in the online market for prescription glasses and sunglasses that presented high quality design alongside optical expertise with a personal service.
“We’ve encouraged each other and Yoovy is something we are all proud of and believe in. So far, the feedback has been great – as we can see that there was a real need for this level of service and knowledge when it came to purchasing prescription glasses online.”
Dan Collinson from Little Eccleston, grew up in St Michael’s on Wyre. He has grown up in an entrepreneurial family with high quality product design at its heart. And as a glasses wearer for most of his adult life, he has a strong interest in style. Dan had the idea of creating an eyewear business offering optician quality service and products online with an in-house range of frames that focused on a curated selection of timeless styles.
Dan said: “Yoovy was created for the discerning glasses wearer who appreciates style and quality in everyday things. Eyewear choice is personal, and for many, it is a constant in their appearance. Yoovy allows consumers to choose from a handmade Italian styled eyewear range with the knowledge that the range is approved by experienced opticians.”
Paula is now the Optical Director at Yoovy and is responsible for the lab team to verify prescriptions and ensure Yoovy lenses are produced, assembled and quality checked before despatched. She has 20 years’ experience – including eight years as a mobile optometrist working in mainly independent practices in the North West of England and latterly running her own practice for 14 years in Lancashire. She is also accredited to provide post-cataract service, LVA and CUES. Every prescription submitted to Yoovy is checked by Paula with every customer order personally handled by her.
Tom Kidd joined Dan and Paula to become part of the Yoovy team at an early stage. Tom is an independent and collaborative designer with over 25 years’ experience working across brand, print and digital. He has worked at some of the North West’s most respected agencies whilst picking up a few industry awards and nominations along the way.
Tom adds: “Bringing Yoovy to life as a brand has been rewarding as a team of friends. We have created a brand that showcases the team’s dedication to style and quality. From the packaging to the film, social content and the website design, everything is testament to the brand’s commitment to timeless style. Yoovy’s glasses and sunglasses make a statement that will last.”
Yoovy is more than just an eyewear brand; it’s a vision for the future of eyewear. By combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology, Yoovy offers a unique and personalised shopping experience. With a focus on quality, style and convenience, the new venture is poised to become a leading name in the eyewear industry.
