sunnies studios
sunnies studios currently has 40 physical stores for sunnies and plans to add five more by end - 2016 .
an exclusive behind - the - scenes look at her campaign shoot for sunnies studios .
sunnies studios partners bea soriano, eric dee jr. , martine cajucom and georgina wilson
life in the philippines 🇵🇭 ep. 006: sunnies studios with martine cajucom - youtube
sunnies studios has a creative team that comes up with new, trendy and stylish pieces both for sunnies and specs .
incognito: the new sunnies studios collection also features dark lenses for stalking your childhood crush .
more than just a pretty face: liza’s chill disposition makes her the perfect sunnies studios muse .
sunnies studios have suppliers from europe and china for the frames while lenses are sourced from korea and india .
sunnies studios launches an optical line under the brand sunnies specs. shown during the media launching at dasmariòas village in makati city are sunnies studios owners (from left) bea soriano - dee, eric dee, martine cajucom and georgina wilson. kathreen abaya
wilson serves as the marketing director of sunnies studios, bea is the operations director while cajucom is the creative director .
manila (cnn philippines life) — the thing people always talk about when they talk about sunnies studios is the look .
sunnies studios now focusies on the growing the three business lines in 2017, aiming for market leadership in all three categories .
partnering with foodee global concepts, the team behind sunnies studios conceptualized sunnies cafe to be a brick and mortar representation of the southern california vibe that influenced their sunglasses .
become the eyecandy you’ve always wanted to be as you grab your own pair of sunnies now! check out the details below to see the nearest sunnies studios to you .
we’ve been working with emman since our first campaign for sunnies and not only is he one of our dearest friends, but his energy really embodies what sunnies studios is all about .
sunnies cafe is the spin - off cafe of eyewear powerbrand, sunnies studios. it is la - inspired and got us covered from brunch to dinner, and coffee to cocktails .
sunnies studios - eyewear & opticians - edsa corner j. vargas avenue, mandaluyong city, ortigas, metro manila - phone number - yelp
the brand now carries three lifestyle concepts—sunnies, the glamorous yet affordable sunglasses; the optical line sunnies specs; and recently sunnies cafe .
customers may choose from 10 unique pantone colors. the sunnies studios team also curated five styles of frames to fit every face shape and personality .
go for the healthy and delish at sunnies cafe in sm megamall. photo from sunnies cafe
sunnies and sunnies specs’s ad campaigns were shot in countries such as japan, australia and the us .
sunnies studios, the lifestyle brand she established with three other partners, has expanded rapidly in a span of two years, from sunglasses to optical lines to restaurants .
“while sunnies is more of the adventurous kind of sunglasses, we’ve considered, due to increasing demand and queries, to broaden the brand to optical lenses, ” says eric dee, director for finance at sunnies studios .
the tedious process of getting prescription eyewear is promised to be a thing of the past as sunnies studios’ new line of prescription eyewear, sunnies specs, introduces a simpler and more affordable way of obtaining a pair of graded specs .
dee says sunnies studios expects to continue the enormous growth the company is enjoying, as sales posted a high double - digit to even triple - digit growth at some point .
since its foundation in 2013, sunnies studios has been on top of the branding game with a signature retro look that’s consistently present, whether it’s on its fun packaging for its sunglasses or at sunnies stations in malls across the country .
wilson along with her cousin martine cajucom and entrepreneurs eric and bea soriano - dee decided to expand the sunnies studios company, which has created a niche in the sunglass sector, to introduce an optical line under the brand sunnies specs .
meanwhile, djs like nix damn p and mikhail schemm kept the house pumped with sets reeling the crowd in with their sunnies beer, sweets, burgers, tattoos, and stickers. the sunnies studios branding was just sweetly placed everywhere .
in step with the expansion of physical stores, sunnies are available on digital platforms such as sunny studios website and fashion site zalora. it is also available via direct selling firm avon .
cool it with these show stopping drinks at the new branch of sunnies cafe in sm megamall. photo from sunnies cafe
viana food condiments’ teresita valdez; josiah’s catering judith versoza; educator elizabeth lahoz; and sunnies studios founders martine cajucom, bea soriano - dee, and georgina wilson completed the list of honorees .
the warehouse turned office of sunnies studios in quezon city encourages larger - than - life creativity with its glass windows, giant vanity mirror, and wall - spanning mood board. photo by jl javier
editors, bloggers, and celebrities united just to get their hands on sunnies studios’ vintage - inspired sunglasses that harken back to the undone glamour of jane birkin and the natural suave of paul newman .
manila (cnn philippines life) — tucked discreetly along the warehouse district near eastwood, the sunnies studios headquarters — well - known to the brand' s 240, 000 instagram followers as “sunnies hq” — looks like something straight out of a wes anderson film .
sunnies studios founder and marketing director, georgina wilson along with co - founders eric dee jr. , bea soriano, and martine cajucom celebrates the brand’s first anniversary with a party for friends and clients .
the sunnies studios team expressed how they wanted to create a completely different look from the californian and beach - y style sunnies is known for into a more classy and adult specs. “we always want to curate things that are fun, effortless and design - driven, ” says cajucom .
sunnies studios established three pilot stores for sunny specs at glorietta 2 in makati city, up town center in quezon city and sm megamall in mandaluyong city. sunnies specs will add two more shops at trinoma and sm cebu city in july and five more before the end of 2016, says dee .
in between cocktails and amid pool - time ruckus, sunnies studios founder and marketing director, georgina wilson, surrounded herself in the euphoria of her brainchild’s first birthday along with co - founders eric dee jr. , bea soriano and martine cajucom .
dee says sunnies and sunnies specs are both priced competitively, with sunnies costing from p399 to p599 a pair and specs at a fixed price point of p1, 999 per pair, with frame and multi - coated lens included .
sunnies studios, established in 2013, was originally called sunnies by charlie as a part of the clothing brand charlie, which wilson co - owned. “well, we really created something that wasn’t available in the market—the simple, stylish and affordable, and that is exactly what we did for specs too, ” says wilson .
martine cajucom, sunnies’s creative director, in her office. photo by jl javier
at the launch of the new branch in sm megamall. photo from sunnies cafe
how does a small company built on sunglasses — and laconically named for its signature product — become a fashion and lifestyle empire? according to sunnies studios’s martine cajucom, bea soriano - dee, and georgina wilson, it’s all a matter of how you see it .
it' s intuitive ,
martine cajucom says about the sunnies studios look .
it wasn' t like,' oh, this is where i grew up.' nothing like that. nothing pretentious or flowery about it, literally .
photo by bj pascual
aside from plans on shipping sunnies and specs worldwide, the sunnies team is launching soon its sunnies cafe inspired by the 70s, mid - century architecture, and music that the team loves. the cafe will transform the sunnies store into a lifestyle setting, where their inspirations, from furniture to style, will be showcased and shared to their customers .
the sunnies studios office is designed to have prominent glass windows to let in as much natural light as possible. “we wanted something really open - spaced, really really bright, ” martine cajucom says. “so everyone can see us, we can see everyone. ” photo by jl javier
nowadays, the company continues to be busy branching out, as evidenced by the recently launched sunnies specs store and the upcoming sunnies cafe. but even as its expansion seems to show no signs of stopping, sunnies remains able to maintain a cohesive brand, with its focus still set on affordable and stylish eyewear created within the instagram - worthy sunnies hq .
they say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. in this case, sunnies studios made the idiom even more fun, by creating a line of eyewear that does not only serve its true purpose, but also makes sure that all eyewear are as fashionable as they can be .
around the office, equipment and areas are colored in signature sunnies pastel. photos by jl javier
the hq also serves as the hub for sunnies' s packaging segment. photo by jl javier
throwback mood: liza’s campaign with sunnies was inspired by relatable and casual nuances from the ‘90s .
“i got together with my friends [ in 2013 ]. i was in la at that time. i said, let’s create something really cool and do something we really love, ” georgina wilson, the former host of asia’s next top model, says to explain how they built a company called sunnies studios .
in mid - 2013, they started working with wilson on marketing and then eventually cajucom on creatives. sunnies began to bloom. “from there, we’re like, you know how in australia they call it ‘sunnies’? ” soriano - dee recalls. “so we said, ‘we should call it sunnies by charlie. ’ and so it stuck. ” sunnies by charlie officially launched in september 2013 .
eric dee and partners bea soriano - dee, martine cajucom and georgina wilson. photo from sunnies cafe
in celebration of their one year anniversary, we’ve busted the numbers to see how much sunnies studios has grown in such a short span of time. with a rapidly increasing following on social media and with more and more stores opening around the country, it won' t be long before this turns into a colossal eyewear empire .
this year, with sunnies launching specs and then the café, the dees — they got married in january 2015 — are a long way from charlie. “sunnies studios is more of a lifestyle brand, ” soriano - dee says. “having a restaurant is the epitome of what lifestyle is all about. it just builds the brand, it solidifies it. it helps that eric is into food. everyone’s trying to build restaurants now, and it’s so hard. if you don’t know anything about operations, don’t go into it. the opportunity of having eric’s family in the operations background, and sunnies in the marketing and branding, i think that’s the perfect marriage of sunnies café. ”
the sunnies r & d; room, where the recently launched line specs was developed. photo by jl javier
actress liza soberano is more than just a pretty face or a dream girl — she’s absolutely chill, makes no fuss, and is one of the most hardworking hustlers in the business. it’s that, more than her looks, that made her the perfect sunnies studios girl. sunnies is much like liza: beyond its cute, laid - back aesthetic is a company that has become one of the most successful retail brands in the philippines. it’s a match made in teen dream heaven, we think .
“the real reason why we made it is because people asked us to, ” reveals sunnies specs marketing director georgina wilson .
life in the philippines 🇵🇭 ep. 005: work & cafe life, sunnies with martine, wholesome table & more !
of course, when you talk about the sunnies look, you’re really talking about martine cajucom, the company’s creative director. when i get to the sunnies studios hq in quezon city, true to form, a crop - topped, high - slitted cajucom is in the middle of what seems like a pretty serious meeting with heim interiors, the popular interior design firm they’re working with on one of the sunnies cafés. “i want to avoid anything too cliché, ” she’s saying. “mid - century - inspired but not obviously retro. i don’t want something to feel dated or like a knockoff or cartoonish — i want it to still be modern. ”
sunnies has 25 stations nationwide, 150 employees, and runs a social media presence with 125, 000 followers on instagram alone .
sunnies let us take an exclusive sneak peek at their new campaign with liza, shot by photographer emman montalvan. from what we’ve seen so far — warm colors, a hint of nostalgia, and loads of cuteness — the campaign itself will be absolutely bomb. we also got to chat with sunnies creative director martine cajucom, who tells us just why liza soberano makes the perfect sunnies girl .
the sunnies eyewear brand which offers “trendy and modern but with a touch of vintage” sunglasses has been receiving suggestions to introduce prescription eyewear .
“this child, ” she says, while holding her belly, “is going to be easy because sunnies has consumed my life. ”
the brand’s creative director, martine cajucom shares her process of curating sunnies specs eyewear. “i combined things that really inspired me from color stories, cities i’ve been to, art references, music, culture, and i match them all together to create sunnies specs. ”
all frames and lenses are subject to assessment by our sunnies specs optical staff and authorized laboratory. for more information, check out urltoken .
djs nix damn p and mikhail schemm kept the house pumped as guests enjoyed the sunnies beer, sweets, burgers, tattoos and stickers .
sunnies is not alienating ,
georgina wilson says .
for me what' s really important is that sunnies needs to be that affordable luxury — and it is with the prices — and it needs to be good, and it needs to everywhere .
photo by bj pascual
sunnies cafe had its first store at the bonifacio high street in taguig city and the second on the bridgeway at sm megamall in mandaluyong city .
eric dee jr. , sunnies’s ​finance director, at his office, which is connected to the r & d; department. photo by jl javier
nonchalant: sunnies studio and liza share many things in common — being no - fuss, laid - back, but still knowing how to hustle .
from left: sunnies cafe finance director eric dee jr. , creative director martine cajucom, operations director bea soriano - dee and marketing director georgina wilson .
acknowledging the growing demand for affordable and stylish eyewear, the sunnies specs team designed a process that would only take two hours for the eyeglasses to be ready .
dee says the company has the same consumer base for sunnies and specs, as “most people do not know that they are in need of optical glasses. ’
since 2013, the company has sold more than a million pairs of sunnies with as many as 200 stock keeping units of frames available at any given time .
and this is why people continue to want sunnies cafe, dee said. and this is also one of the reasons why they will be getting more of it .
they were also treated to their own sunnies pair in their customized canvas totes by live doodle artists rob cham and pete rich. different logo treatments were also installed in various rooms .
the look is integral in any retail or fashion business, but sunnies, once only the little eyewear stall that could, has taken it to another level. selling stylish sunglasses at affordable prices is one thing — and that’s a crowded marketplace, with everyone from h & m to i2i sunglasses selling variations of the same thing — but sunnies has worked the look so hard, so shrewdly, so confidently that it has sublimated the product as the main event. when you think of sunnies, you think of the look first and the product second .
i' m back and forth between australia and the philippines a lot which means i' m not just doing the tourist things when i' m here but working and living - that' s what' life in the philippines' is more about. a weekly travel vlog on the road as i travel throughout the philippines to give you a more personal, raw and real look into my life on the island. from events i' m attending, my creative friends and favourite cafes to everyday errands and the stories behind my travel photos. after catching up over brunch with my friend martine at sunnies cafe i head to her office to have a bit of sunnies fun. here' s a sneak peek inside the sunnies studios office in manila, philippines. previous vlog: urltoken watch more philippines vlogs: urltoken / / never miss a beat ↓ join the love club → urltoken blog: urltoken facebook: urltoken instagram: urltoken twitter: urltoken pinterest: urltoken
after launching the lifestyle eyewear brand sunnies and selling more than a million pairs of sunglasses since 2013, the business partners are expanding their venture to include an optical or prescription eyewear line .
anyone who would like to try sunnies cafe should first keep this in mind: the brains behind this california - based, dining concept do not want you to eat their food outside .
friends were treated to their own sunnies pair best found in their customized canvas totes by live doodle artists rob cham and pete rich. different logo treatments were also installed in various rooms .
she adds: “a question that somebody asked me recently is, ‘as you continue to grow up and like, say you’re 40, does sunnies [ get older ]? ’ i don’t think that’s how it’s gonna work. the brand has to evolve, but not age. and sadly we will, but that will be the challenge. sunnies will have a life of its own. ”
the sunnies hq combines all of these aesthetic elements to create what could very well be a physical version of its instagram profile, with its white walls, pastel - colored appliances, and vintage furniture .
“globalization is the most overused word, but it’s true, ” wilson says. “with social media, that’s when globalization really happens. and letting people be part of that — that’s what sunnies café is. and that’s why we find it such an exciting brand extension for sunnies. not the natural route for a frickin’ sunglasses brand, but we don’t think of ourselves as just a sunglasses brand. ”
“we listen to our customers. people were saying, ‘can you make eyewear please? we buy your sunglasses and we change them [ into prescription ]. ’ we wanted to make a one - stop shop, and we did. we made sunnies specs. there’s nothing like it in the market because it’s stylish, simple and affordable, and that is the core of sunnies specs, ” says wilson .
being one of the most followed brands in social media locally, it is with no surprise that all their station openings were marked by long lines waiting to get their hands on their latest collections. among all of their launches, the biggest happened at mall of asia where editors, bloggers, celebrities, and influencers alike gathered to grab their own pair. in less than two years, sunnies studios successfully expanded with over 30 stations nationwide and stretched out their stores throughout southeast asia. despite the success, this super - rad eye wear brand continues to stay true to its signature blend of vintage and cali cool that keeps all of us at the edge of our seats .
“this is about two brands coming together, both power houses in their industry. we combined both strengths - the marketing genius of sunnies and the genius of foodee global concepts. it made sense for us to combine. sunnies is becoming the supergood lifestyle brand and us being recognized for all the brands we brought in as food, and i think that the reason why we decided to do it, ” he says .
each part of your new sunnies specs optical pair is under warranty for a certain amount of time after the date of purchase. you can find the date of purchase on the receipt that came with your specs .
since the launch of its maiden branch at the bonifacio global city, sunnies cafe has enjoyed a daily head count that has averaged to about 300 people. and each party, according to dee, has spent an average of about php 500 per visit. these numbers, according to him, are encouraging—especially when one considers the fact that sunnies cafe has just opened last august and it is still just operating with two branches .
wilson, a co - founder, co - owner and brand ambassador is excited about sunnies cafe. “it’s like this was my first baby, ” says wilson who expects her first child with husband arthur burnand .
now if you’re planning to head to their birthday bash or if you simply need a pair to rock for your day to day activities, take a hint from george herself with her top picks from the sunnies bunch .
within the year, sunnies will be available in california through online stores. the brand is also available via the same platform in seven other southeast asian countries. physical expansion is the next phase of the company’s global plan .
“if there’s fast growth, there’s also a fast ability to fail ‘cause you’re going so quickly, ” wilson says. “i think what i do a lot of the time is rein it in. ‘is this the right thing? ’” but she is quick to point out that sunnies is on a well - paved path. “sunnies is not alienating, ” she explains. “even though it is that cool, it’s not alienating, especially in very basic stuff like price point. for me, what’s really important is that sunnies needs to be that affordable luxury — and it is with the prices — and it needs to be good, and it needs to be everywhere. ”
“we’ve always talked about how we’re focused on the perfect pantones, ” sunnies’s creative director, martine cajucom, says. “the subtlety of the colors … [ and then ] there are playful elements, travel elements, moments. ”
“sunnies was started just by mood board, ” cajucom explains. “we mood - boarded things that we liked — music, pop - culture references, design references, furniture references. and we built a brand on top of that … what are things that we like, what are colors we like, what are places we like? that’s why we have these style icons. that’s why we have mood boards everywhere. literally, that’s how sunnies started. ”
in three years, the sunnies four have managed to grow the brand from a small apparel brand’s product line to a full - fledged retail juggernaut. is it too soon to talk about world domination? they sure don’t think so .
“our primary focus now is to open the café, ” cajucom says. “but my vision that i think we all share is to really take it internationally. i think the u. s. could really love sunnies. and that’s what we really wanna do … obviously, we want to expand more. we have dreams of opening sunnies hotels. truthfully, with the café, that was a dream last year. we talked about it and here, it’s happening. ”
we wanted to bring the sunnies lifestyle into something experiential for everyone to enjoy. sunnies cafe is a fusion of the things we like to see, eat, and drink. all in one space. the menu is a collection of our favorite comfort food with a modern twist. we designed it to be your new go - to spot, from brunch to dinner, and coffee to cocktails. so grab a chair. feel at home. and let' s eat .
to make the simple process possible, operations director bea soriano says that all of their glasses are curated—with one look and one brand—compared with other optical shops, which offer several eyewear brands. sunnies specs’ frames are especially designed by the same lifestyle brand .
all four owners—eric and bea dee, martine cajucom and wilson—have hands - on participation in sunnies cafe, brewing up ideas to complete the menu, trying and retrying cafe fares until they are perfect and putting personal touches with the interiors and the furnishings .
while other optical shops carry multiple brands with multiple prices, sunnies specs has one brand with one fixed price point. “so you’ll need not worry that your budget of p2, 000 will become p3, 000 or p4, 000, ” says dee .
the company also plans to put up another business called sunnies cafe at bonifacio global city. the cafe will feature some of the owners’ favorite food and drinks. “you will see the most ‘instagrammable’ hub, ” says wilson. with kathreen abaya and regina lintag
“our life is like great on instagram but it’s a lot of hard work. we just make it look easy. but i swear the month before opening the cafe, none of us slept. but thanks we had a brilliant partner because everything is a lot of hard work. we’re so lucky we have partnered with people who know what they are doing. we don’t even have to handle any of the operational problems except it should look like sunnies. it should feel like sunnies, ” she says .
through a potent antidote of social - media influence, a specific aesthetic, and the business backbone to keep everything intact, sunnies has gone from strength to strength, ably discarding an early perception of weak product and making disciples out of skeptics through savvy business moves .
cajucom says: “we wanted to sell products that we personally love, so we created prescription eyeglasses that are affordable, stylish, design - driven and accessible to everyone. just like sunnies, we wanted to make it fun and fit the style of everyone. ”
of course, photo opportunities weren’t the only things on the design checklist of the main sunnies team, which, in addition to cajucom, includes: georgina wilson, marketing director; eric dee jr. , finance director; and bea soriano - dee, operations director .
sunnies was started just by mood board ,
martine cajucom says .
we mood - boarded things that we liked — music, pop culture references, design references, furniture references. and we built a brand on top of that .
photo by bj pascual
being a magnet for double - taps or likes on social media is usually not a quality that most companies consider when building an office, but it’s definitely something that the creative director of sunnies, martine cajucom, had in mind when designing the quezon city - based space .
in the early days, when product development hadn’t yet progressed enough to keep it truly competitive in terms of product, it was the promise of that look, of that socal lifestyle that allowed sunnies to cut through the local retail marketplace and make itself heard on social media .
eric dee is running the cafe with his team of chefs and crew. his younger brother eric dee jr. , a co - owner of sunnies brand, travels the world for food, brings home new ideas, make them popular and create a frenzy out of them .
it is obvious how this openness is quintessential to the sunnies experience both offline and online. a quick scroll through the brand’s instagram page is enough to see how liberal the company is with behind - the - scenes photos (always tagged # sunnieshq) and requests for customer feedback .
she says at first, the cafe was too daunting for her and her co - owners to delve into, so they put up a partnership that will make the concept fly, creating synergy between sunnies cafe and the foodee global brands, the operational genius behind todd english and tim howan .
this fondness for effortless cool is what keeps the sunnies shining brighter, but what seals the deal is the eyewear rookie’s no - holds - barred take on expansion. it has 25 stations nationwide, 150 employees, and runs a social media presence with 125, 000 followers on instagram alone .
i' m at a place right now, where i' m managing myself ,
georgina wilson says .
i am running me as a brand like a company. so sunnies is like an extension, and i think of it in the same way too .
photo by bj pascual
eventually, in selling everything, you realize that some products tend to sell better than others. “and that’s how we came to know that sunnies was doing really well, ” soriano - dee says. “we had everything — we had sunglasses, we had shoes, we had bags. everything. ”
martine cajucom: liza is someone we’ve been stalking since basically forever. when we saw her post a photo wearing sunnies and heard she was a fan of the brand, we knew she was our girl. despite being one of the most recognizable faces in the country, liza still has a mystery about her that makes you want to know more. when you do finally meet her, her non - diva vibes are disarming and magnetizing. she’s so much more than just a pretty face; she’s humble, super hardworking and has zero pretensions. liza keeps it real and that’s what the sunnies girl is really all about .
the dees are the more quiet half of the sunnies foursome, but it’s in keeping their head down, doing consistent work, and managing the backbone of the company that the indelible sunnies look and savvy social - media marketing are able to flourish. “we have very, very different schedules, so we don’t see each other a lot, ” soriano - dee explains. “so we make do with emails, with whatsapp. but we make sure to meet at least once a month. i think it’s part of the lifestyle right now where you can’t expect everyone to be in the office. you have to be mobile. you have to work wherever you are. you can’t be confined in an office. ”
“we’ve always seen sunnies as a lifestyle brand. even the imagery is full of the look and feel of it. it was simple and straight forward. in the menu, every single detail was given the attention it deserved. seeing this in real life is a weird feeling and i’m not going to say it was the easiest process, ” says wilson .
aside from the usual eye - catching areas — like the mezzanine floor that houses the creative and marketing department and two restaurant booth - like cubicles with murals by the local artist kris abrigo — the sunnies hq has a special selfie room (that’s now being used for storage) and a giant vanity mirror for people who want to take advantage of the great lighting .
managing that brand — the georgina wilson™ brand — is what has helped her take on the marketing position at sunnies. she’s still, after all, the most followed filipino who doesn’t appear on tv and movies on instagram, a status she achieved largely through prime endorsements, strategic magazine covers, an understanding of self - marketing, and a canny way with social media .
one rainy sunday we headed to sunnies cafe for our early family dinner. the menu was extensive and we didn' t know what to order. my daughter ordered the risotto and me and my husband shared in the steak and potatoes. we couldn' t resist ordering the ricotta pancakes after. we can' t wait to go back to try the other entrees .
later, eating quinoa and sinigang on a desk overrun with pantone swatches and a copy of lena dunham’s “not that kind of girl” (“i give this to our writers, like, this is the writing voice”), she talks about her time before sunnies as creative manager at american apparel, the u. s. brand famous for thrift shop - looking basics and provocative ads .
“for me, one of the reasons i wasn’t as happy with my job [ in american apparel ] even if i loved the nature of the work was the real lack of vacations, ” cajucom says. “we went without vacations for so long, and it bred so much resentment … [ in sunnies ], we’re pretty flexible. we encourage them to travel. when they go abroad, we’re happy. ”
“i wouldn’t say that charlie was a successful business, but in a way, it is because it led me to sunnies, ” she says. “i think it’s really merging the two skill sets — eric and i, what we’re really good at, the two of us, is business concepts. martine and george are really good at marketing and creatives. so it’s their branding skills and our business concepts. ”
that’s not to say that the over 130 - person strong sunnies team isn’t always hard at work. tin dabbay, the brand’s creative manager and content strategist, says that the young environment is also very fast - paced “in the sense that it’s super high - volume. ” she adds: “we really expanded so fast in five years — from 20 branches, it’s now 45. it’s kind of crazy in that sense .
sitting inside one of their newly minted branches in sm megamall, dee explained to entrepreneur philippines that sunnies cafe seeks to be more than just a run - in - the - mill dining establishment. “it’s an experiential restaurant, ” he said. and to fully appreciate what it has to offer, “you have to be inside; you have to be served. ” much to his gratitude, people have been coming and they’ve been coming by the numbers .
speaking from behind her desk (a simple white table topped with a few sample sunnies products and stacks of paper and books), cajucom talks about the glass windows that are featured prominently at the warehouse turned office. “we wanted something really open - spaced, really really bright, ” she says. “so everyone can see us, we can see everyone. ” the open space also allows the creative team to conduct mini shoots for their products using natural light .
growing up in california obviously informs the visual identity cajucom has molded for sunnies. but it’s the experience in a brand like american apparel that eventually helped her translate that life experience into a real brand, and keep that brand identity together through different product lines and changing pantone colors. “it’s intuitive, ” she says. “it wasn’t like, ‘oh, this is where i grew up. ’ nothing like that. nothing pretentious or flowery about it, literally. ”
at one point, the creative team under cajucom included melissa gatchalian, a talented, emerging blogger with a following of her own; tina ong, a cult - favorite style star with extensive retail experience under her belt; and tin dabbay, a whiz kid creative who has contributed to dazed magazine. the sunnies foursome is proud of how formidable their team is, and continuously make sure to allow them to grow within the company but also grow as individuals outside it .
“we had three brands in three years. we want to grow the brand and be the market leader in all of them. we might not be opening up new concepts but surely we will be super busy in everything. we also just opened our optical line. we have sunnies and we are working on being available worldwide. and it takes times to design a cafe. we want to make sure we put enough attention on all of that, ” wilson says .
the discussion moves along. “we want to make the bathroom something special, ” she says in a sweet, little - girl voice you don’t really expect coming from a dusky, pint - sized instagram bombshell (or “instahoe, ” as she lovingly calls herself). “for the first branch, we really kind of sourced everything — i mean, who knew i was a sourcer? ” it’s important to note that there are four people from heim at this meeting and only cajucom from sunnies .
these are big numbers, all things considering. but given what sunnies cafe is truly selling, it makes sense. the cafe after all is not just a source of food. given the details employed to execute it—from the music to the design, to the general ambiance they hold together—it is a business treated more like a destination. and like every destination, one needs to be there to fully appreciate it. dee’s plan of expansion is just one way to make that happen for more people .
“influenced, ” of course, is the key word here. the sunnies brand after all does not simply mimic all that california can offer. run by business minded individuals, it fine - tunes its products to make it more appealing and relevant to its immediate target market. for their glasses, the result of this fine - tuning can be seen in the inclusive price point. and for the cafe, the result can be seen in nearly everything that surrounded dee during his interview with entrepreneur philippines .
there will always be a misconception that wilson is more of a figurehead than an actual working partner at sunnies — perhaps the result of a long trend of celebrity products branded with celebrity names but run by other people. while she admits that she’s only in the office “when i’m in town, as many [ days ] as i can, ” wilson brings her own specific skill set to the table, working hand in hand with cajucom in articulating the brand values and aesthetic in marketing terms — in business terms .
once upon an october there was a couple and two cousins —bounded by friendship —who created what would be the country’s go - to eyewear hub. eric dee jr. , bea soriano, georgina wilson, and martine cajucom first introduced sunnies by charlie in 2013 with the opening of its first store at the sm mall of asia. editors, stylists, celebrities, and influencers all gathered at the scene and it wasn’t long before the rest of the country followed. the rest, as they say, is history .
“this [ sunnies ] cafe has been thought of for a while by my brother and me. so one day, my brother and i said ‘why don’t we do a cafe? ’. we’re one family, so we decided to do it together. this is the first project with me and my brother. he does retail, i do food. we saw that it made sense. for a lifestyle brand, it is in its own natural progression to have something to add to the brand, something relevant. that’s how the collaboration began, ” says dee .
famously particular, sometimes deemed difficult, wilson long ago gave up on playing cordial at work just to keep the peace. “i’m at a place right now, where i’m managing myself, ” she says. “it suits who i am. i am running me as a brand like a company. so sunnies is like an extension, and i think of it in the same way, too. ” and so, she takes great pains to understand what will go on at something as major as a magazine cover, to make sure that all parties are happy with the results .
of course, the company’s expansion isn’t the only thing the dees have to adjust to. they recently became parents to braeden, now a year old. and with sunnies and a son, they’ve seen their priorities shift dramatically. “when you guys ask me how i balance work with being a mom, i’m still trying to figure it out, ” she admits. “we get here, and then we meet with all the key people — you can’t naman micromanage with a business that’s growing. so we hire well … and then we get home. on a good day, braeden’s still awake. ”
of course, the downside to a visual identity that cool and confident is a misinterpretation of price point. “it’s sort of a thing we go back and forth with, because initially people thought that the sunglasses were too expensive, ” she says. “that the branding is too elevated. ” shot by the la - based filipino photographer emman montalvan, modeled by wilson, and styled and art - directed by cajucom, the sunnies ads are one of the brand’s strongest assets, now instantly recognizable and often copied. they’ve since adopted the practice of bannering the low prices on high - end - looking ads similar to uniqlo and h & m .
the prestigious store of the year awards were given to merchants that produced outstanding work and upheld the highest standards of business management and operations. this year’s awardees were restoerun (centrio mall); j. co donuts & coffee (abreeza mall); bo’s coffee (ayala center cebu); bench (harbor point); marks & spencer (marquee mall); mama lou’s (up town center); sole academy (bonifacio high street / serendra); olympic village (market! market !); nike park (fairview terraces); healthy options (alabang town center); lacoste (trinoma); rimowa (greenbelt); and sunnies studio (glorietta) .
the creative and marketing department is a treasure trove for anyone looking for creative influence. right now, its mood board, which spans an entire wall, features a variety of the group’s current inspirations, which range from their own advertisements to 90s - era johnny depp. they have copies of vogue italia, homme +, and wilson’s book with solenn heussaff, “ besties, ” lying around, as well as a bluetooth speaker that anyone can use to play music. catherine yu, sunnies’s marketing manager, says that this, along with the visual aspect, makes the office environment very relaxed. “the ambience is very creative, very conducive to creating new stuff, ” she says .
“american apparel is such an unusual company to work for, ” says cajucom, who, pre - sunnies, lived in california. “like, the creative team is so small. truthfully, when i started, we were three … i did so much when i worked there, and it kind of really equipped me for a spectrum of different kinds of job identities. because we conceptualized marketing campaigns, web ads, print ads, billboards, touched upon everything. i worked so closely with the creative director and the ceo at the time and just kind of understanding how these things work. ” (one of the highlights of cajucom’s american apparel life? she designed a cropped turtleneck top inspired by britney spears’ “sometimes” music video “because i really wanted a top like that. ” )
if you' ve invested some (more like a lot !) of money on a pair of sunglasses, i' m sure you take real good care of them. i bought myself my first pricey pair of shades a year ago, and while i love them a lot, i also don' t take them out too often because i' m scared they might break or get lost (ironic, isn' t it !). whenever i take a trip to the beach or out of town, i make sure to bring a cheaper pair so it doesn' t hurt as much if something happens to them. i' ve always gone to big chain stores or tiangges for alternative pairs but the usually have similar styles. it was such a thrill when sunnies by charlie opened because it was exactly what i' ve been looking for, stylish, affordable, and good quality shades! they have cat eyed, round framed, browns and blacks and most of the styles in magazines! it' s a great alternative (or primary too !) for sunglasses, especially these days when the sun can' t seem to catch a breath .
one of the eye - catching areas of the warehouse turned office is this two restaurant booth - like cubicles with murals by kris abrigo. photo by jl javier
magazines and other resource materials can be found around the office. photo by jl javier
photo shoots are a common occurrence for this reason — the mint green sofa cube and stairway have even appeared in the background of a few notable magazine covers and fashion editorials .
addressing the pastel pink wall and neon sign at the entrance, cajucom emphasizes the role of productivity when it came to conceptualizing the hq’s layout. “what’s really important and conducive to being productive at work is liking the space you’re in, ” she says. “also to just be visually stimulated when you come in each day. ”
it works in a way that makes it easier for everyone to coordinate with one another. toward the front are the director’s offices on the ground and the creative and marketing department on the mezzanine, while the research and development room and operations and finance department are located near the back. the quality control room is a bit higher up in an attic - like space. “i like our current setup because the marketing people are here, and right beside us are the creative people, ” says sam santos, digital marketing manager. “so it’s so much easier for me to communicate with them. ”
visual cues and inspirations can be found around the office so people can feel motivated and productive. photos by jl javier
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she continues, “when you go to the store, you pick your frame, you get your eyes tested in less than five minutes and get your eyeglasses after two hours. that’s how we wanted it. ”
“the thing that sets us apart is our one price for all. so any frame that you choose, whether it’s a different material, it has the same price, ” explains finance director eric dee .
the specs basic package worth p1, 999 includes an eye exam, frame and graded lenses. the lenses are multi - coated single vision with uv protection, and are anti - glare, anti - scratch, anti - reflective and water resistant.
sunnies studios is a company that sells sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses . it was founded in 2013 . sunnies studios sells online and has over 40 stores in the philippines . 
sunnies studios is a company that sells sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses. it was founded in 2013. sunnies studios sells online and has over 40 stores in the philippines.
sunnies studios is a company that sells sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses. it was founded in 2013. sunnies studios sells online and has over 40 stores in the philippines.