HOT WHEELS

Instead of buying a house, Barrett invested his savings in the very first batch of KREWE frames and got his start with a mobile cart attached to a bike, selling them at festivals around New Orleans.

THE STREET, NOT THE CITY

ST. LOUIS is the frame that put us on the map. Our signature silhouette has a standout brow bridge inspired by the intricate, wrought-iron balconies in the French Quarter. It’s also a favorite of Beyoncé’s — she’s been spotted in pairs since 2013.

THE SUNROOM

Our first concept store, located on the first floor of KREWE’s first office space, was a by-appointment-only sunroom. Customers would ring a doorbell and Barrett would greet them with an iced beverage while they perused our earliest styles.

SETTLING IN

Our first store is a gallery space located in the heart of the French Quarter. The sun-soaked, plant-filled space set the bar for KREWE’s immersive retail experiences — and was also the home of KREWE’s design studio for 5 years.

RUN WITH THE BIG DOGS

Competing in the prestigious CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund proved that a small, self-made company from New Orleans could disrupt the corporate eyewear industry. Oh, and KREWE placed as a runner-up.

TINY HOUSE, BIG STEP

An evolution of the cart Barrett used to sell the first KREWE sunglasses, we launched our Tiny House mobile retail experience to bring a portable taste of the brand — and New Orleans — to different corners of the US.

TRULY VISIONARY

Sunglasses are what we know best — but why stop there? We launched our optical collection in 2017, paving the way for the 2018 launch of our optical-focused storefront on 1818 Magazine Street.

HONEY, WE’RE HOME

We converted a storage warehouse in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District into the KREWE HQ of our dreams, fine-tuning and hand-curating each detail to create the perfect home base for our dedicated team of smart creatives.

BETTER TOGETHER

We teamed up with Reformation for our very first collaboration to create a line of biodegradable frames, resulting in a dreamy collection that’s easy on the eyes and even easier on the planet.

FOUNDATION

KREWE Foundation was created in 2018 to help change the way New Orleans youth see the world. The foundation provides students in the city with access to eye care and free prescription KREWE glasses, with a goal to reach every local public high schooler in need by 2022.

DON’T SWEAT IT

Consider it the athleisure of eyewear: in early 2019, we dropped our ACTIVE collection, a line of high-tech, high-fashion frames built for whatever moves you.

SUN DAYS ARE FUN DAYS

We built a pool at our HQ, then partnered with LeBlanc + Smith to turn it into sun___days, a members-only space that revolves around the sun. The club features exclusive food, beverage and wellness programs as well as plenty of sun chaises for weekend poolside lounging.

WHERE WE ARE NOW

Now, KREWE is 87 employees and counting. We’ve launched nearly 100 frames, orchestrated 34 photoshoots, and grown our following from diehard fans and locals to over 100,000 Instagram followers from across the globe. Don’t worry, though — we’re only just getting started.

DITCHED THE SQUINT

In a year where everyone was looking at their digital screens more than ever, we launched blue light lenses and blue light readers to go in tandem with our optical collection to help relieve digital fatigue.

THE IMPORTANT WORK

We formed an Employee Engagement Council (EEC) to influence leadership decisions and actions, ultimately working to create the culture employees desire most.

PARTNERED WITH A MASTER

Our design team and eyewear visionary, David Rose, seamlessly blended two design processes and expanded our optical collection - creating one of our most coveted collections to date.

ASTRONAUT APPROVED

We were over the moon when we saw our frames on board the Inspiration4 space mission. The world’s first all-civilian flight, it orbited in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Special shoutout to Hayley Arceneaux, a Baton Rouge native and cancer survivor, for bringing us along.

DROP A PIN, WE ARE THERE

We set up shop in 10 new locations this year, bringing us–and the spirit of New Orleans–closer to you with each tiny home.

ZOOM WHO?

As our team grows, we’re spread across the USA but came together for our inaugural all-team retreat in NOLA. We laughed, we bonded and ended the week in true New Orleans style with a private concert from the jazz band at Preservation Hall.

NEW ADDRESS(ES), WHO THIS?

Our first flagship concept opened its doors in 2022. Maison du KREWE, or as we call it MDK, opened simultaneously in two cities that inspire the $h!t out of us. 67 Gansevoort resides in the heart of the Meatpacking district and is a communal creative space. The historic renovation at 619 Royal is a lush, two-story indoor-outdoor experience just down the block from our first ever KREWE store in The French Quarter.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY

Hospitality is at our core. What better way to come together and converse than to open our very own natural wine parlor. Meet &HOLIDAY. A beautiful communal space designed for lingering, storytelling and discovery.

MOVE & SHAKE

Frames traveled by car and air to make it to over 20 festivals and events this past year. Being on the ground interacting with y’all is what sparks joy and we’re stoked for way more of this in 2023.

10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

We hit the big 1-0. Over the last decade, we’ve grown in so many ways and it’s all thanks to you, our KREWE. Among many special milestones, expanding our community continues to be the most meaningful. In honor of our anniversary, we dropped a collection of best-selling archival frames to celebrate.

THE KREWE ‘KRAWFISH’ BOIL

We hosted our inaugural crawfish boil fundraiser, bringing a bit of NOLA to NYC. We flew in over 1,000 lbs of Louisiana crawfish, 496 of y’all showed up, and together, we raised money for cancer research. All while having a damn good time.

KREWE DU KREWE

We had our very first Mardi Gras float in the legendary Tucks Parade during Mardi Gras weekend. In celebration of NOLA carnival season, we launched the MERRYMEN frame, an exclusive oversized aviator with a stylistic nod to the float’s ‘Fear & Loathing In New Orleans’ theme. Longtime employees and close friends rode down St. Charles in true KREWE style.