Legacy ACE Award Winner Foster Grant
From Boardwalk to the Boardroom
By Karen Giberson
Accessory Accessibility
It’s hard to imagine a legacy any more iconic than the one bestowed on Foster Grant. The story starts in 1929 when an Austrian immigrant named Sam Foster sold his first pair of sunglasses on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. At the time, sunglasses were a luxury item, one that was only available to very wealthy people, but Foster saw an opportunity: Why can’t sunglasses be affordable and accessible, he wondered.
When Foster launched “The Original American Sunglass Brand,” he put high-quality, stylish sunglasses on the face of Everyman, and that premise of accessibility for all is the foundation this company was built on. With a rich and storied history, Foster Grant has long been one of those highly recognizable brands that sits near the top of the consumer awareness pyramid, alongside names like Ford, Coca Cola, and Maytag. As the company prepares to celebrate its 95th anniversary this year, I sat down with Salvatore Mauceri, president of the sunglass and readers division, to discuss not only “Who is behind those Foster Grants,” but also what the vision is for moving forward.
Changing Production Methods
That focus on insight and innovation — and targeted widespread appeal — has served the brand well. The need for sunglasses that Sam Foster identified back in 1929 is no less valid today. Early models were made by hand, but by the 1930s, injection molding machines were able to produce in one hour more than a six-man production team could create in a day. By mid-century, the brand had become the largest sunglass manufacturer in the world and the top producer of injection-molded plastic eyewear.
“Our innovative production method for sunglasses revolutionized the eyewear market,” Mauceri added. “By using more efficient production methods, Foster Grant was able to offer a wide range of styles at a lower cost, making them more accessible to a larger demographic.” That innovation continues to this day.
Read the rest of the article in the latest issue of Ac Magazine HERE.