Sunnies Studios

Sunnies Studios is a Philippine lifestyle brand whose original business centered on fashion sunglasses and later broadened into prescription eyewear, cosmetics, cafés, and multi-concept retail spaces. The business traces its immediate roots to Charlie, a retail company founded in 2011 by Eric Dee and Bea Soriano-Dee to sell shoes, bags, and clothing. In 2013, model and television host Georgina Wilson joined the venture as marketing director, while fashion designer Martine Cajucom became creative director. The team repositioned the business around eyewear and introduced sunglasses under the name Sunnies by Charlie. The first Sunnies location opened as a kiosk at Glorietta 2 in Makati in October 2013. In February 2014, the company adopted the Sunnies Studios name and moved its operations to Libis, Quezon City. The brand developed a visually coordinated retail identity and expanded its product assortment to more than 200 eyewear styles. Its core offer includes fashion sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses, with the latter sold through the Sunnies Specs Optical arm, introduced in 2016. The business has operated more than 120 locations in the Philippines and has also maintained stores in Vietnam and other international markets at different points in its development. Sunnies Studios became part of a broader lifestyle platform rather than remaining solely an eyewear retailer. In 2016, the company entered food service through Sunnies Cafe, initially opening at Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City, followed by locations at SM Megamall and Alabang Town Center. The café concept offered comfort food presented with a contemporary approach. Cup Point was also developed by Sunnies Specs Optical as a café-style waiting concept for customers whose prescription eyewear was being processed. The group entered beauty in August 2018 through Sunnies Face, a cruelty-free cosmetics brand launched with Fluffmatte, a range of modern matte lipsticks. The line subsequently expanded into complexion, cheek, lip, brow, eye, nail, and skincare products, including Airblush, Lip Dip, Play Paint, The Perfector, Lip Treat, Face Glass, Life Brow Micromarker, Eye Crayon, and Dream Cream. Sunnies Face gave the wider business a digitally oriented beauty proposition and extended its reach beyond physical eyewear retail. The company has used combined-format stores to bring its concepts together. In March 2019, it opened a multi-brand store at SM City Cebu containing Sunnies Studios, Sunnies Specs Optical, Sunnies Face, and Cup Point. In September of the same year, Sunnies World opened at SM Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall as the brand's first flagship store and, at the time, its largest location. In September 2023, the company introduced Sunnies Fun House at Glorietta 2 in Makati. The flagship incorporated a Sunnies Coffee bar, playful architectural references, paper-cutout-inspired design, and custom mirrors by Filipino-Australian artist Jessica Dorizac. Sunnies Studios has therefore evolved from a locally founded sunglasses label into a multi-category lifestyle and retail network. Its online store has been made available in several Southeast Asian and Asian markets, while the brand family has combined accessible fashion, beauty, optical services, cafés, and highly designed stores. Publicly available reference material does not establish a current legal parent, ownership structure, chief executive, or consolidated financial profile.

Sunnies Studios developed from Charlie, a Philippine retail business established in 2011 by Eric Dee and Bea Soriano-Dee. Charlie originally sold shoes, bags, and clothing. In 2013, Georgina Wilson joined as marketing director and Martine Cajucom became creative director. Their involvement accompanied a strategic shift toward eyewear, and the company began selling sunglasses under the name Sunnies by Charlie. The first location was a kiosk at Glorietta 2 in Makati, opened in October 2013. The business adopted the Sunnies Studios name in February 2014 and moved to Libis, Quezon City. Its early growth was driven by fashion-oriented sunglasses sold through branded retail locations. By 2015, Euromonitor data cited in the brand's reference material placed Sunnies Studios second in the Philippine sunglasses market by value share, behind Luxottica Group, with an 8 percent share. The same data placed it tenth in the broader eyewear market, with a 1 percent value share. By June 2016, the brand had become one of the most-followed retail brands on Instagram in the Philippines, with approximately 240,000 followers according to the cited reference. In 2016, Sunnies Studios added prescription eyewear through Sunnies Specs Optical. The company also entered food service with Sunnies Cafe, first at Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City, then at SM Megamall and Alabang Town Center. Cup Point was created as an associated café-style service intended to make customers' waiting time more convenient while prescription orders were prepared. The brand's international development included a location in Guam at an earlier stage and an international Sunnies Studios location in Vietnam opened in September 2018. Its online store later served customers in Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. The company has been described as maintaining more than 120, or approximately 127, stores across the Philippines and Vietnam, depending on the cited count and date. Beauty became a major extension in August 2018, when Sunnies Face launched as a cruelty-free cosmetics line. Its first product family was Fluffmatte, a modern matte lipstick range. Later products included cheek color, lip products, nail polish, complexion products, brow and eye items, highlighter, and moisturizer. The launch generated discussion about the brand's minimalist visual identity and limited-release marketing, with some observers comparing it to Glossier. Martine Cajucom acknowledged Glossier as one of the brand's inspirations while describing the broader goal as changing the skincare conversation. The company increasingly combined its concepts in larger physical spaces. In March 2019, it opened a multi-brand store at SM City Cebu containing Sunnies Studios, Sunnies Specs Optical, Sunnies Face, and Cup Point. In September 2019, Sunnies World opened at SM Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall as the company's first flagship and largest branch at that time. In 2023, Sunnies Fun House opened at Glorietta 2 in Makati. The store was designed around playful architectural forms and paper-cutout references and included a Sunnies Coffee bar and custom mirrors by Jessica Dorizac. In November 2020, Philippine social media users called for a boycott after allegations circulated that former employees of a Cauayan, Isabela branch had not received separation pay following the branch's closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The publisher of the original viral post later updated it to say that management had settled the issue. The available reference material does not identify a court judgment or regulatory finding connected with the allegation. Sunnies Studios is presented in the available material as an active Philippine lifestyle business spanning eyewear, optical retail, cosmetics, cafés, coffee, online commerce, and branded stores.

• 2023

  Sunnies Fun House opens

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The brand launches a new flagship at Glorietta 2 in Makati with a Sunnies Coffee bar.

• 2019

  First multi-brand store opens in Cebu

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  A combined store at SM City Cebu brings together four Sunnies concepts.

• 2019

  Sunnies World opens

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The first Sunnies World flagship opens at SM Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall.

• 2018

  Sunnies Face launches

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduces its cruelty-free beauty line, beginning with Fluffmatte lipsticks.

• 2018

  Vietnam expansion

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Sunnies Studios opens an international location in Vietnam in September.

• 2017

  Liza Soberano becomes an official endorser

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Actress Liza Soberano is named the brand's first official endorser for Sunnies.

• 2016

  Prescription eyewear and café businesses are added

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Sunnies Specs Optical launches, while Sunnies Cafe opens its first location at Bonifacio High Street.

• 2014

  Business adopts the Sunnies Studios name

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The company is renamed Sunnies Studios and relocates to Libis, Quezon City.

• 2013

  Sunnies by Charlie launches

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Georgina Wilson and Martine Cajucom join the venture, which shifts toward sunglasses under the Sunnies by Charlie name.

• 2013

  First Sunnies kiosk opens

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  The first location opens at Glorietta 2 in Makati in October.

• 2011

  Charlie is founded

  [1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Eric Dee and Bea Soriano-Dee establish Charlie as a retail brand selling shoes, bags, and clothing.

A design-led Philippine lifestyle retailer combining accessible fashion eyewear, optical services, beauty products, cafés, and experiential physical stores.

• Fashion eyewear · 2013

  Sunnies Studios sunglasses

  The original core category consists of fashion sunglasses designed for everyday styling. The brand has developed and carried more than 200 styles and distributes them through its own retail network and online channels. The assortment helped establish Sunnies Studios as a recognizable Philippine eyewear label before the company expanded into prescription optics and other lifestyle categories.

• Prescription eyewear · 2016

  Sunnies Specs Optical

  Sunnies Specs Optical is the prescription-eyewear arm introduced in 2016. It provides prescription frames and related optical services within the Sunnies retail system. The concept also served as the basis for Cup Point, which was designed to support customers while their prescription eyewear was being processed.

• Beauty and cosmetics · 2018

  Sunnies Face

  Sunnies Face is a cruelty-free beauty line launched in 2018 with Fluffmatte, a modern matte lipstick range. Its later portfolio included Airblush cheek tint, Lip Dip whipped matte lip cream, Play Paint vegan nail polish, The Perfector complexion duo, Lip Treat sheer lip glow, Face Glass liquid luminizer, Life Brow Micromarker, Eye Crayon, and Dream Cream moisturizer. The line operates through online markets and physical stores in several countries.

• Food service · 2016

  Sunnies Cafe

  Sunnies Cafe extends the brand into restaurants and serves comfort food presented with a contemporary interpretation. Its first location opened at Bonifacio High Street, followed by branches at SM Megamall and Alabang Town Center. The café concept is part of Sunnies Studios' wider strategy of linking retail, lifestyle, and social spaces.

• Coffee service · 2023

  Sunnies Coffee

  Sunnies Coffee is a coffee-bar concept incorporated into the Sunnies Fun House flagship launched at Glorietta 2 in 2023. The available reference material identifies the bar as part of the store experience but does not provide a separate product range or operating footprint.

• 2020

  Employee separation-pay allegations

  A viral Facebook post led to calls for a boycott after former employees of a Cauayan, Isabela branch alleged that they had not received separation pay following the branch's COVID-19-era closure. The post's publisher later said that management had settled the matter. The available source does not establish a court finding or regulatory determination.

  Source

• 2018

  Sunnies Face accused of copying Glossier's aesthetic

  Following the launch of Fluffmatte, social-media users compared Sunnies Face's minimalist packaging, visual identity, and limited-release approach with those associated with Glossier. Critics characterized the brand as a copycat. Creative director Martine Cajucom acknowledged Glossier as one inspiration in an interview while describing the brand's broader aim as changing the skincare conversation.

  Source

Read more

• 2018James Reid endorsement

  Philippines

  Sunnies Studios announced actor and musician James Reid as a celebrity endorser during 2018.

  Outcome. The available material does not report measurable campaign outcomes.

  Source
• 2017Liza Soberano official endorsement

  Philippines

  Sunnies Studios named actress Liza Soberano its first official endorser for the Sunnies brand, linking the eyewear business to a prominent local celebrity.

  Outcome. The reference material records the appointment but does not quantify campaign results.

  Source

• 2023

  Launch of Sunnies Fun HouseProduct launch

  Background

  Sunnies Studios continued investing in large, experience-led physical locations.

  Action taken

  The company opened its new flagship at Glorietta 2, adding a Sunnies Coffee bar and artist-designed customer mirrors.

  Aftermath

  The store became the brand's described new flagship and largest location in the cited material.

  Source

• 2019

  Creation of multi-brand retail storesStrategy

  Background

  The company had developed several related concepts and sought to place them within unified physical experiences.

  Action taken

  It opened a combined store at SM City Cebu and later launched the Sunnies World flagship at SM Megamall.

  Aftermath

  The format established larger stores capable of presenting eyewear, optical services, beauty, cafés, and related lifestyle offerings together.

  Source

• 2018

  Launch of Sunnies FaceProduct launch

  Background

  Sunnies Studios extended its lifestyle platform into cosmetics.

  Action taken

  The company launched Sunnies Face as a cruelty-free beauty brand, beginning with the Fluffmatte lipstick line.

  Aftermath

  The beauty portfolio expanded into cheek, lip, nail, complexion, brow, eye, and skincare products, while the launch also prompted comparisons with Glossier.

  Source

• 2016

  Expansion into prescription eyewear and food serviceStrategy

  Background

  The brand sought to broaden its lifestyle and retail proposition beyond fashion sunglasses.

  Action taken

  Sunnies Specs Optical and Sunnies Cafe were introduced.

  Aftermath

  The business gained optical-service and hospitality concepts that were later combined with beauty and eyewear in multi-brand stores.

  Source

• 2013

  Shift from general retail to eyewearStrategy

  Background

  Charlie began as a seller of shoes, bags, and clothing before the team repositioned the business around sunglasses.

  Action taken

  The company launched sunglasses under the Sunnies by Charlie name and opened a dedicated kiosk at Glorietta 2.

  Aftermath

  The business subsequently adopted the Sunnies Studios name and built its core retail identity around eyewear.

  Source

• 2023

  Sunnies Studios launches Sunnies Fun House[1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The company opened a new flagship at Glorietta 2 in Makati with a Sunnies Coffee bar, paper-cutout-inspired interiors, and custom mirrors by artist Jessica Dorizac.

• 2019

  Sunnies Studios opens a multi-brand store in Cebu[1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The company opened a combined retail location at SM City Cebu featuring Sunnies Studios, Sunnies Specs Optical, Sunnies Face, and Cup Point.

• 2019

  Sunnies World opens at SM Mega Fashion Hall[1]Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Sunnies Studios launched its first flagship store, a 260-square-metre multi-concept location at SM Megamall.

1. 1Sunnies Studiosen.wikipedia.org