How Velvet Canyon Became the Ultimate It Girl-Approved Sunglasses Brand
- Ana Beatriz Reitz
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
If you’re looking for eyewear to ooze Kate Hudson's iconic Penny Lane, look nowhere but Velvet Canyon.
Velvet Canyon eyewear has something distinctive: a cool, effortless attitude that blends retro allure with a sustainable sensibility, the kind of aesthetic that feels like it already belongs in a film. Think Thelma & Louise, La Piscine, or Almost Famous — you know the vibe.
No wonder, then, that these bohemian ‘70s road-trip lenses have captivated It Girls like supermodel Bella Hadid, model and author Emily Ratajkowski, musician Suki Waterhouse, boho-chic legend Sienna Miller, model Kate Moss, and actresses Laura Harrier and Daisy Edgar-Jones. There’s no denying that the label, founded in 2017 by sisters Bec Nolan and Cass Moase alongside photographer Ali Mitton, has cemented its status as one of the coolest eyewear names around.
Ahead, HALOSCOPE sits down with Bec Nolan to trace their journey from Byron Bay, Australia to the global market, diving into how a shared sun-kissed vision, a love for nostalgia, and a distinctly ‘70s free spirit became the foundation for a new era of nonchalant, magnetic eyewear.
Ana Beatriz Reitz: When and how was the moment you decided to launch a sunglasses label, and why specifically sunglasses?
Bec Nolan: In 2017, I was working as a clothing designer, styling photoshoots and unable to source the sunglasses that I wanted to feature. So I designed our first collection based around that: those styles that I wanted to exist that I couldn't find anywhere. Specifically, ‘60s and ‘70s styles in really a beautiful, tonal color palette.
ABR: I love the energy Velvet Canyon gives. Effortless, retro, with a sun-soaked edge that belongs to a girls' trip à la Thelma & Louise. How did you, your sister, and Ali land on this name, and what was the feeling you were specifically trying to capture with it?
BN: We wanted the name to sound like a movie — maybe a sleazy ‘70s spy thriller with a femme fatale lead. We’ve made a few short films as campaigns and tend to approach our shoots in a cinematic way, which has influenced both our designs and brand voice. We like to have a little backstory or character associated with each design.
ABR: What details do you obsess over that most customers might never notice?
BN: I like to think that our customers do notice the details, and that is why they buy from us as opposed to one of the million other brands! We do keep things minimal, so each detail must be there because it is beautiful and adds to the overall experience.
ABR: When did you first realize the brand was becoming a favorite among the "It Girl" set? Was there a specific moment, celebrity sighting, or street-style photo that made it click?
BN: From the beginning, we were lucky to have been worn by some very influential people. 2020 was definitely when things really started to ramp up, and Kendall Jenner was wearing her Zou Bisou’s on repeat.
ABR: What role have TikTok and Instagram actually played in shaping the brand's following — [is it the] algorithm, or something more organic than that?
BN: Instagram was really important to us early on, and it’s how we managed to grow so quickly. It was back when it was still completely organic. And still fun. These days I’m just so fatigued with social media that we’ve taken a step back. I know it’s something I need to invest in more, but I kind of hate it, just how much time and life needs to go into the little screen.
ABR: How do you feel about the "It Girl approved" label? Is it something you lean into or push back against?
BN: The thing I love most when I see celebrities who are followed for their style wearing Velvet Canyon is knowing just how many options they have, how many items they must be sent, and yet they chose ours.
ABR: Which unexpected person or moment wearing Velvet Canyon meant the most to you?
BN: To be honest, I get just as excited when I see people in the street wearing our sunnies as I do when I see a celebrity has worn them. I remember being on vacation in Puglia in Italy and seeing a girl wearing them, and she looked SO good, and I was just so happy.
ABR: You're headquartered across Byron Bay, L.A., and Paris, three cities with wildly different ideas of "cool." How much of the brand's appeal comes from refusing to pick one?
BN: Our headquarters has actually just moved from Byron to Melbourne this week, and the founders are now based in Mexico and France — none of us can seem to stay in one place for too long. I do think we are influenced by our surroundings, but Velvet Canyon lives in its own world, in its own era.
ABR: Does staying "cool" get harder as you grow? Or is it an easy task for something that channels it so effortlessly?
BN: I don't think being cool has ever been the goal, and I certainly don't think that is something one can — or should — chase. It's not that we are anti-trend — if something feels right for us and aligned, then we will incorporate it. But it needs to feel like something true to the Velvet Canyon story. There have been moments when I tried to include a style that felt like something people would respond to, even if I didn't personally love it, but ended up not doing well. It's a lesson for me to trust my instincts and not try to cater [to] everyone.
ABR: Eyewear is a category that doesn't get the same sustainability scrutiny as, say, fast fashion garments. Do you think consumers are asking the right questions about their sunglasses?
BN: Acetate eyewear [is] generally a lot lower impact naturally than clothing — acetate is a plant-based material; there is also plastic eyewear, which is usually cheap, but even designer brands sometimes make their frames from petroleum-based plastic. So I think the same scrutiny isn’t necessarily there just because the impact isn’t as extreme. People buying eyewear should certainly be checking that their frame is made from acetate if they are interested in [fewer] plastics. It’s tricky with lenses because there is glass, which is not practical as it can shatter, or different types of plastics. I think the most important thing is to buy high-quality eyewear that will last a long, long time.
ABR: Was sustainability part of the founding thesis from day one, or something the brand grew into as the industry and the customer started demanding it?
BN: Of course, yes, from the beginning it was important to us to make sure we had as low of a climate impact as possible. It’s been frustrating at times because we want to do things perfectly and sometimes our idea of how we want to do things doesn’t match with the current technology, we end up trialling materials that sound amazing but don’t quite hold up to the level of quality we expect and it’s about that balance of doing the best we can while making a product that is going to last.
ABR: There's real fatigue around sustainability claims in fashion right now because people have been burned by greenwashing for far too long. How do you build trust around that without sounding like every other brand?
BN: It does feel a little like people don’t really care anymore, and with the rise in popularity of online fast fashion, it can feel hopeless. But we just have to trust that our customer understands and values well-made pieces.
ABR: What's something you had to learn the hard way as the brand started growing so quickly?
BN: That growth isn’t necessarily consistent and can come in waves rather than a steady incline.
ABR: Are there categories beyond sunglasses you're excited to explore?
BN: Right now, I just want to keep things simple. More categories [mean] more work and likely expanding the team, and I’m waiting for the day when that sounds appealing to me again, but at the moment I’m enjoying having some free time to spend with my daughter and enjoy life outside of work.
ABR: Where do you want Velvet Canyon to be in five years?
BN: Everywhere.
ABR: What's one thing about the brand's future you're excited to share that hasn't been made public yet?
BN: We took a little design hiatus just to recalibrate and take our time with a new collection. We went from three seasons a year to no new styles at all in the past year. So we have a new collection launching in November, and I’m so excited for some fresh pieces!
ABR: And what can we expect to see from the new collection?
BN: A return to our roots, yet with a completely new energy. 🌀
Ana Beatriz Reitz Gameiro is a Brazilian freelance journalist covering fashion, entertainment, beauty, and culture. Her work has appeared in publications such as FASHIONISTA, V Magazine, Polyester, Remezcla, and NSS. She is also the voice behind The Devil Writes Fashion (previously For Fashion’s Sake), a weekly newsletter where fashion is dissected, celebrated, and occasionally roasted with humor, heart, and just a little bite.
