Meet the Maker: Finlay & Co.

Finlay & Co became the go-to British name for luxury wooden sunglasses, with a timeless sense of style and design. We had admired them since first setting eyes on the frames back in 2012, when we knew we wanted them in the store. Worn by the likes of David Gandy and Jenson Button, the brand reached iconic status fast. We caught up with the founders to talk past, present and where they were heading.

How it started

It began with two of the four founders, Dave Lochhead and Dane Butler, on holiday in Portugal. They were looking at ideas for a business and realised there was no British eyewear brand of note that they actually wanted to wear. They were not alone in feeling that. After playing with materials and shapes, and bringing in friends Tom Stannard and Sam Lawson Johnston, they landed on wooden frames and saw a genuine gap. Finlay & Co was born.

Designed for the individual

The frames nod to British design and heritage, each named after a London street that means something to the team, from Ledbury to Carnaby. Wood is a hard material to work with but a rewarding one: the grain makes every single frame unique, so no two are the same. They source only from sustainable suppliers and finish each pair with a waterproof varnish and an anti-allergenic treatment for that smooth, luxurious feel.

Pushing the material

The Beaumont and Thurloe frames brought hardwood together with a gold metal frame, taking the collection into its next chapter. The Beaumont Ebony, dark wood paired with gold, became their best seller. Asked who they would most like to see in a pair, the answer was pure Finlay: Steve McQueen, Johnny Depp, and James Bond.

We backed Finlay & Co early because they were the real thing: a small group of friends making something properly, with a clear point of view. That is exactly the kind of maker The Brotique exists to champion.