A Second Home: Moscot Opens Fourth Store in London’s Marylebone
LONDON — All eyes are on London for family-owned, American luxury eyewear brand Moscot as it opens the doors of its new Marylebone store.
The shop on 68 Marylebone High Street marks the brand’s 12th European opening and 25th in total.
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Outside of New York City, Moscot’s base, London has become a second home for father-and-son duo Zack and Harvey Moscot.
“London is a second home to Moscot, because as a cosmopolitan city, it feels most like home in New York City; the uniquity, diversity and creativity found in both cities are quintessentially Moscot,” said Zack, the firm’s chief design officer.
“Our London fans are creative, fashion-forward yet thoughtful; they appreciate our timeless design as well as craftsmanship and heritage,” he added.
The new 280-square-foot store neighbors Aesop, Fischer’s and Diptyque.
All of Moscot’s stores follow a signature uniform of yellow exteriors and music-inspired interiors.
Spectacles are on display on the walls and behind glass and wooden counters, resembling a jewelry store. A pair of neon-lit spectacles is installed outside each shop as a running motif.
The five-generation-old company that started out as a brick-and-mortar store in 1915 still sees physical retail as core to the business.
“The Marylebone [store] continues the legacy of our beloved neighborhood optical shop on New York City’s Lower East Side, and like others around the world before it, features our signature tin ceiling and handmade try-on stations with warm cherrywood and vintage tchotchkes — all sourced from New York City,” Zack said.
The Dahven, a thick block acetate pair of spectacles, available in eight shades, which was designed and prototyped by Zack, remains the brand’s bestseller in London.
Last year the business opened its first store in Zurich, Switzerland, a 1,000-square-foot corner shop that’s larger than its average 860-square-foot stores.
“One highlight has been the expansion of our retail footprint; this fourth shop in London’s Marylebone marks our 25th shop globally,” Zack said.
The Moscot bond is not just a strong family one, but one they share with their store staff.
The Moscots have a personal relationship with each store manager and sales assistants in the various cities — they take them out for team dinners and even help at the counter when in the stores.
“It’s critical that I meet each and every family member, as we call our staff that works in the shops. They represent me, Zack, my dad and grandfather, so I like to meet every single one of them to make sure they are wearing the Moscot uniform, which is a smile,” said Harvey, chief executive officer of the brand, in an interview last year.
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