Founders Aw (left) and Hoong (All photos: Pott Glasses)
Travelling is perhaps the ultimate eye-opening experience. While backpacking through Europe in 2013, Aw Tai Hau stumbled upon a small store in Las Ramblas, Barcelona, crafting frames for spectacles from repurposed skateboard wood. Bespectacled himself, he was amazed by the creativity, craftsmanship and, most surprisingly, the way the people there flaunted their eyewear with confidence. “I noticed that it was more than just a necessity, it was a reflection of one’s identity,” he says. “People wore their glasses with confidence, treating them as an extension of their personal style. The designs were bold and distinctive, seamlessly blending functionality with fashion.”
One lasting impression in particular was a lawyer who sported a thin red pair with round lenses. After striking up a conversation with him, Aw realised the prominent, colourful style that complemented the man’s bright, distinguished personality so well was uncommon in Asia, where most people only see glasses as visual aids and generally avoid wearing clothes and accessories that might garner unwanted attention. Furthermore, the majority of easily accessible options are not designed with Asian features — lower, flatter nose bridges and less prominent facial structures — in mind. Identifying a gap in the market, he returned home with a dream to start his own brand that could cater for the needs of local consumers.
As fate would have it, the perfect business partner came in the form of Eden Hoong, a certified optician with several years of experience under his belt. After working for a Malaysian eyewear store earlier in his career, he wanted to start his own business to elevate customer experiences. He wished for his clients to not only leave his store with glasses that suited their taste and personal style, but also the knowledge that would allow them to make smarter eyewear purchases in the future.
Blending their ambitions, Aw and Hoong set up Pott Glasses in 2015, starting out as an online store with a unique, personalised approach to help buyers find the right frames for them. “We introduced the innovative ‘Door-to-Door Try On’ service, allowing customers to select up to 16 frames from the website and arrange a free in-person fitting,” says Aw. “Going the extra mile, we would bring an additional 20 pairs of glasses that we thought would suit the customer as well.” The duo went on to open eight outlets across the country, enabling buyers to benefit from in-person try-ons as well as guided consultations and eye tests.
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A decade in, Pott Glasses’ main appeal is still providing eyewear that embodies what Hoong calls the “Asian Fit”. He explains that the first must-have element is protruding, thicker nose pads as “many Asians have a lower or flatter nose bridge, and traditional frames are prone to slipping”. The materials used to make them and how easily adjustable they are matter deeply. After all, if those pesky little marks on the sides of the nose bridge are inevitable for wearers, ensuring comfort is the bare minimum. A plush silicone was chosen for this purpose, and most frames can be quickly customised to accommodate all face types.
Whether for their nerdy association in pop culture or tendency to slip when engaging in physical activities, glasses have long been the subject of ridicule and jest. Even for those with poor eyesight, small things like frames perching too close to the face and constantly grazing the cheek as people go about their day can quickly become annoying and lead them to opt for contact lenses, feeding the narrative that glasses are fussy and inconvenient. All for instilling confidence in wearers, Pott Glasses is committed to tweaking even the smallest details to achieve the ideal fit. “Standard frames often do not account for the width and structure of Asian faces, leading to discomfort or an unflattering look. We carefully refined our widths and curvatures to prevent the glasses from sitting too close to the cheeks while maintaining a natural and stylish appearance,” explains Hoong.
Over the past couple of years, glasses, even ones without prescription lenses, have become hot fashion statements and these days, are often used to achieve a cool and mysterious look. Seeing this as an opportunity to popularise glasses and encourage wearers to don them with pride, these guys have come up with ways to ensure the trend is here to stay.
“We’ve partnered with local fashion designers to create exclusive eyewear collections that resonate with contemporary styles, ensuring our frames align with current fashion trends,” says Aw, adding that they have been exploring innovative materials, like beta titanium and polyblend from South Korea, that are as durable as they are comfortable and colourful.
Modernising their in-store services through a 4D styling experience that, as Hoong describes, “considers face shape, skin tone, personal style and lifestyle needs when recommending frames”, as well as implementing immersive AI functions on the brand’s website, has been critical to their overall goal. “These initiatives have not only set us apart in the rapidly growing eyewear market but also ensure that glasses remain a fashionable and functional accessory as time goes on,” he says.
For the time being, international brands still make up most of the mainstream market. Having said that, Aw and Hoong are far from discouraged, believing that the brand’s values and dedication to quality will show in its product range and resonate with customers. “While international labels have been the go-to choice for many Malaysians when it comes to fashion and accessories, the landscape is changing,” says the former. “Our goal is to set the benchmark for personalised eyewear and boutique shopping experiences, making Pott Glasses the first name that comes to mind when people think of tailor-made eyewear.”
To find out more and book a consultation, visit pottglasses.com
This article first appeared on Mar 31, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
