FosterGrant

FosterGrant is an American eyewear brand whose history began in 1919 when Sam Foster established a plastics business in Leominster, Massachusetts. The enterprise initially manufactured ladies’ hair accessories, particularly combs made from celluloid and other plastics. Its early business was vulnerable to changes in fashion: shorter hairstyles became popular in the 1920s, reducing demand for combs and putting pressure on the company’s original product line. The company found a new growth opportunity in molded plastic sunglasses, a product made increasingly practical by advances in injection molding and promoted by the visibility of Hollywood celebrities. The brand’s development was closely connected to plastics manufacturing. In 1934, Foster Grant purchased an injection-molding machine imported from Europe. The machine arrived inoperable, requiring Foster and technical specialists to spend several years making it usable and dependable. The company’s plastics capabilities later extended beyond consumer accessories, including the manufacture of components for heart-lung pumps, although eyewear ultimately became the defining consumer-facing business. Foster Grant became especially prominent through celebrity-centered advertising in the 1960s and 1970s. Its slogan, “Who’s that behind those Foster Grants?”, encouraged consumers to identify famous performers wearing the brand’s sunglasses. Advertising associated with the campaign featured a broad group of actors, musicians, television personalities, and other public figures, helping position sunglasses as both an affordable accessory and a visible element of popular style. The campaign was revived around 2000 with Cindy Crawford and racing driver Jeff Gordon. The brand passed through several ownership changes during the late twentieth century. Hoechst acquired Foster Grant in 1974. Andlinger & Company purchased it in 1986, but the transaction was unsuccessful and the company entered bankruptcy in 1990. The sunglasses business was subsequently acquired out of bankruptcy by Bonneau. Benson Eyecare, later known as BEC, acquired Bonneau in 1993, and BEC sold Foster Grant to Aai in 1996. Aai later adopted the Foster Grant name. In the 2000s, the brand continued to emphasize accessible eyewear and expanded attention to reading glasses. Beginning in 2009, actress Raquel Welch appeared in national television advertising for the Foster Grant Reading Glasses collection. FGX International spent more than $12 million on television advertising that year, with creative work by Ferrara & Company and production directed by Bob Giraldi. Raquel Welch also appeared in Foster Grant television commercials in 2010. A major corporate turning point occurred in 2010, when French lens manufacturer Essilor acquired FGX International for $575 million. FGX was delisted from Nasdaq following the transaction, and Essilor retained the existing management while paying shareholders in cash. After Essilor merged with Luxottica in 2018, the combined group became EssilorLuxottica, which remains FosterGrant’s ultimate owner. FGX later broadened its digital and brand portfolio by acquiring One Click Ventures in 2018, bringing Readers.com, Sunglass Warehouse, and felix+iris into its wider group of eyewear businesses. Foster Grant began selling through Sunglass Warehouse’s website in 2019. Today, FosterGrant is best understood as a mass-market eyewear brand within FGX International rather than as an independent public company. Its principal offerings are sunglasses and non-prescription reading glasses, distributed through broad retail and online channels. The brand’s historical identity combines inexpensive, fashion-oriented eyewear with celebrity-led marketing and the practical accessibility of ready-to-wear vision products.

FosterGrant traces its origins to 1919, when Sam Foster left the pioneering plastics manufacturer Viscoloid and founded a plastics company in a former industrial laundry in Leominster, Massachusetts. The company’s initial major product was ladies’ hair accessories, especially combs made with celluloid. Celluloid had become an important substitute for ivory and tortoiseshell in molded consumer goods, making it suitable for inexpensive decorative products. The company’s first business was disrupted during the 1920s as shorter hairstyles became fashionable, reducing the market for combs. Foster Grant adapted by applying plastics expertise to sunglasses. Improvements in injection molding allowed plastic sunglasses to be manufactured for a mass audience, while Hollywood publicity helped make them desirable. The company used celebrity appearances and advertising to establish itself as a significant sunglasses producer. A notable manufacturing milestone came in 1934, when Foster Grant purchased the first plastics injection-molding machine imported from Europe. Because the machine arrived in non-working condition, Sam Foster and a team of specialists spent years repairing and adapting it. This episode illustrates the company’s role as a plastics manufacturer as well as an eyewear brand. Over time, its plastics activities included products outside eyewear, including heart-lung pump components, but sunglasses became its central consumer identity. During the 1960s and 1970s, Foster Grant built brand recognition through the “Who’s that behind those Foster Grants?” advertising campaign. The campaign used well-known personalities, including Peter Sellers, Louis Jourdan, Carroll Baker, Claudia Cardinale, Elke Sommer, Anita Ekberg, Vittorio Gassman, Anthony Quinn, Mia Farrow, Robert Goulet, Julie Christie, Woody Allen, O. J. Simpson, Raquel Welch, Terence Stamp, Clayton Moore, and Vanessa Redgrave. The strategy linked Foster Grant eyewear with entertainment culture while retaining a mass-market orientation. The advertising concept was revived around 2000 with Cindy Crawford and Jeff Gordon. Ownership became increasingly complex after the company’s early expansion. Hoechst acquired Foster Grant in 1974. Andlinger & Company purchased the business in 1986, but the acquisition did not succeed and Foster Grant filed for bankruptcy in 1990. Bonneau acquired the sunglasses business from bankruptcy. Benson Eyecare, subsequently known as BEC, bought Bonneau in 1993, and BEC sold Foster Grant to Aai in 1996. Aai later adopted the Foster Grant name. The modern phase of the brand developed under FGX International. In January 2009, Raquel Welch became the featured personality in national television advertising for the Foster Grant Reading Glasses collection. FGX reportedly invested more than $12 million in television advertising during 2009. The campaign was created by Ferrara & Company and produced by director Bob Giraldi. Foster Grant continued television advertising with Welch in 2010. In 2010, Essilor acquired FGX International for $575 million. FGX was removed from Nasdaq as part of the transaction, and Essilor paid shareholders in cash while retaining FGX’s management. Essilor later merged with Luxottica in 2018, creating EssilorLuxottica and placing FosterGrant within the world’s largest combined lens and eyewear group. Also in 2018, FGX acquired One Click Ventures, the parent company of Readers.com, Sunglass Warehouse, and felix+iris. Foster Grant subsequently added sales through the Sunglass Warehouse website in 2019. The brand’s present identity is therefore rooted in a long transition from plastics manufacturing to branded eyewear. Its core proposition remains accessible sunglasses and reading glasses, supported by FGX International’s wholesale, retail, and digital distribution infrastructure.

1. 2019Online distribution expands

   Foster Grant began selling through Sunglass Warehouse’s website.

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2. 2018FGX International joins the EssilorLuxottica group

   Essilor’s merger with Luxottica created EssilorLuxottica, FosterGrant’s ultimate owner.

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3. 2018One Click Ventures acquired

   FGX International acquired One Click Ventures and its Readers.com, Sunglass Warehouse, and felix+iris brands.

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4. 2010FGX International acquired by Essilor

   Essilor acquired FGX International for $575 million, taking the parent company private and delisting it from Nasdaq.

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5. 2009Raquel Welch fronts reading-glasses campaign

   Raquel Welch became the face of a national television campaign for the Foster Grant Reading Glasses collection.

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6. 2000Celebrity campaign revived

   The “Who’s that behind those Foster Grants?” advertising concept returned with Cindy Crawford and Jeff Gordon.

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7. 1996Aai acquires Foster Grant

   BEC sold Foster Grant to costume jewelry company Aai, which later adopted the Foster Grant name.

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8. 1993Benson Eyecare acquires Bonneau

   Benson Eyecare acquired Bonneau, which had purchased the Foster Grant sunglasses business out of bankruptcy.

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9. 1990Bankruptcy

   Following the unsuccessful 1986 ownership transition, Foster Grant filed for bankruptcy.

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10. 1986Andlinger & Company acquisition

    Andlinger & Company purchased Foster Grant, beginning an ownership period that ended in bankruptcy proceedings.

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11. 1974Hoechst acquires Foster Grant

    The German chemical and industrial group Hoechst acquired the brand.

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12. 1934European injection-molding machine acquired

    Foster Grant purchased an injection-molding machine imported from Europe and spent several years making the malfunctioning equipment operational.

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13. 1920The company moves into molded plastic sunglasses

    Changing hairstyles weakened the comb business, while injection molding and celebrity publicity helped the company develop mass-market sunglasses.

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14. 1919Sam Foster establishes the plastics business

    Sam Foster founded the company in Leominster, Massachusetts, initially producing plastic hair accessories and combs.

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Affordable, widely distributed eyewear combining practical everyday use with accessible fashion styling and celebrity-oriented marketing.

• Foster Grant SunglassesSunglasses

  The brand’s historic core product line consists of mass-market sunglasses made possible by Foster Grant’s early work in molded plastics. The line has traditionally combined practical sun protection with fashion styling and broad retail availability. Celebrity advertising, particularly the “Who’s that behind those Foster Grants?” campaign, helped establish sunglasses as Foster Grant’s signature offering and associated the brand with entertainment culture while maintaining an accessible price position.

• Foster Grant Reading GlassesReady-to-wear reading glasses

  Foster Grant reading glasses are non-prescription, ready-to-wear eyewear intended for consumers who need near-vision magnification. The collection received major national television support beginning in 2009, when Raquel Welch promoted it in a campaign produced for FGX International. The category extends Foster Grant beyond fashion sunglasses into an everyday functional eyewear segment.

• 2010Raquel Welch television commercials

  United States

  Foster Grant continued television advertising featuring Raquel Welch in 2010.

  Outcome. The campaign maintained continuity in the brand’s national promotion of its reading-glasses and eyewear offerings.

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• 2009Foster Grant Reading Glasses with Raquel Welch

  United States

  Raquel Welch became the featured personality in national television advertising for the Foster Grant Reading Glasses collection. FGX International invested more than $12 million in television advertising during 2009.

  Outcome. The campaign gave the reading-glasses line national visibility and extended Foster Grant’s celebrity-based marketing approach into a functional eyewear category.

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• 2000Who’s that behind those Foster Grants? revival

  United States

  Foster Grant revived its historic celebrity-led advertising platform with model Cindy Crawford and race car driver Jeff Gordon.

  Outcome. The revival connected a legacy advertising idea with contemporary celebrity and sports personalities.

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• 1960Who’s that behind those Foster Grants?

  United States

  Foster Grant used a celebrity-identification concept in advertising for its sunglasses. A large roster of entertainment and public figures appeared associated with the campaign during the 1960s and 1970s, reinforcing the brand’s link with Hollywood and popular culture.

  Outcome. The campaign became one of the brand’s best-known marketing properties and helped establish Foster Grant as a major mass-market sunglasses name.

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• 2018FGX International acquires One Click VenturesM&A

  FGX International sought to broaden its digital and brand portfolio across online eyewear retail.

  What changed. FGX acquired One Click Ventures, the parent company of Readers.com, Sunglass Warehouse, and felix+iris.

  Aftermath. Foster Grant gained an additional online distribution route through Sunglass Warehouse’s website in 2019.

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• 2010Essilor acquires FGX InternationalM&A

  FGX International, the parent company of Foster Grant, was operating as a publicly traded eyewear wholesaler when Essilor pursued the acquisition.

  What changed. Essilor acquired FGX International for $575 million, paid shareholders in cash, retained existing management, and delisted FGX from Nasdaq.

  Aftermath. FosterGrant became part of Essilor’s eyewear portfolio and later entered the EssilorLuxottica group after Essilor combined with Luxottica in 2018.

  Acquisition value. $575 million transaction value (2010 acquisition)

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• 1934Invest in injection-molding capabilityStrategy

  The company needed scalable plastic-manufacturing technology as it moved beyond a declining comb business and pursued molded sunglasses.

  What changed. Foster Grant purchased an injection-molding machine imported from Europe and worked for several years to repair and operationalize it.

  Aftermath. The technology supported the company’s transition toward mass-market plastic sunglasses and broader plastics production.

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• 2019Foster Grant expands distribution through Sunglass Warehouse

  Foster Grant began selling products through the Sunglass Warehouse website following FGX International’s acquisition of One Click Ventures.

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• 2018FGX International acquires One Click Ventures

  FGX International acquired Indiana-based One Click Ventures, whose portfolio included Readers.com, Sunglass Warehouse, and felix+iris.

  M&A
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• 2010Essilor acquires FGX International

  Essilor acquired FGX International, the Foster Grant parent company, for $575 million. The transaction took FGX private and resulted in its delisting from Nasdaq.

  M&A
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1. Foster Grant