Krewe
Established · $200-$400 · New Orleans, United States
Architectural sunglasses and optical frames designed in New Orleans, where the brow bar is a love letter to the French Quarter.
Think: New Orleans eyewear, bold frames, vibrant.
The buy: the brow-bar sunglasses
What to buy
the brow-bar sunglasses
Categories
Occasions
Why Krewe is worth it
Krewe makes sunglasses with a strong sense of place: bold acetate frames and raised metal brow bars that carry New Orleans swagger into everyday wear.
Frames start in its New Orleans studio and are cut from thick cotton-based acetate in custom patterns that can take weeks to develop, then finished and inspected by hand back in Louisiana. The signature is a rounded frame with a raised metal bridge modeled on French Quarter iron balconies, and every lens blocks UVA and UVB light behind anti-scratch coatings.
Krewe picks
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Is now a good time?
The sale pattern
From 7 months of sale tracking.
A sale landed in the last few days — Krewe runs one about every 28 weeks.
- Runs a sale
- about every 2 quarters
- Last sale
- running right now
- Typical markdown
- 45% off
- Deepest we’ve seen
- 45% off
About Krewe
Stirling Barrett, a New Orleans native trained in photography, founded Krewe in 2013. He put his savings into a first batch of frames instead of a house and sold them from a cart hitched to a bike at festivals around the city.
The name nods to the krewes that ride in Mardi Gras parades, and its signature frame borrows its brow bridge from French Quarter ironwork. Optical frames followed, and the label placed as a runner-up in the fashion fund run by CFDA and Vogue.
- Founded
- 2013
- Founded by
- Stirling Barrett
- Based in
- New Orleans, United States
- Made in
- Designed in New Orleans, assembled by hand in Asia, finished in Louisiana
- Made of
- Cotton-based acetate, titanium and gold-plated hardware, UV-protective lenses
- Shipping
- Ships across the US from Louisiana the next business day, with free two-day FedEx shipping on orders of $255 and up; ships internationally, free to Canada with duties included, free to a list of countries with duties paid at checkout, and elsewhere with duties due on delivery.
- Where to buy
- Krewe's own site · Our Krewe picks
What shoppers say
From reviews and try-on videos, in our words.
- Fit
Its sizing doesn't follow the usual eyewear format because of the brow bars and lens shapes, so compare the bridge, eye and temple measurements on each product page. Some styles come in average and large, and titanium frames have adjustable nose pads.
- Warranty
Full-price frames come with Second Chances: if you break or damage them, the first replacement is free, with no expiry date (mail-in claims in the US carry a $14.99 shipping fee). Lost or stolen pairs aren't covered.
- Returns
Full-price frames can be returned or exchanged free within the US for 30 days. Frames bought at 10 to 39% off are exchange only, 40% off or more is final, and prescription orders aren't refundable.
- Shipping
Orders ship the next business day, free by two-day FedEx on orders of $255 and up. Abroad, Canada ships free with duties included, a list of countries pays duties at checkout, and elsewhere duties are due on delivery.
- Demand
Frames are made in small batches the brand aims to sell out, and it holds a sale twice a year, with sign-ups for early access to the sale frames.
How we'd wear Krewe
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Krewe, answered
- What is Krewe?
- Krewe is a New Orleans eyewear label making sunglasses and optical frames in bold acetate and metal, known for its rounded frame with a raised brow bridge.
- Is Krewe a good brand?
- Yes. We like it for frames with a point of view: custom acetate patterns, a brow bridge drawn from French Quarter ironwork, a 100-point inspection of every pair, and a free first replacement if you break full-price frames.
- Who founded Krewe?
- Stirling Barrett, a New Orleans native, founded it in 2013 and started out selling frames from a bike cart at local festivals.
- Where is Krewe from?
- New Orleans, Louisiana. Its headquarters is a converted warehouse in the Lower Garden District.
- Where are Krewe sunglasses made?
- They're designed in New Orleans, put together by hand at family-owned factories in Asia, then finished and inspected in Louisiana.
- What are Krewe frames made of?
- Cotton-based cellulose acetate in custom patterns, plus titanium and gold-plated metal hardware. Lenses are shatter-resistant with full UVA and UVB protection.
- How do Krewe sunglasses fit?
- Differently from standard eyewear sizing, so check the bridge, eye and temple measurements on each frame. Some styles come in an average and a large size.
- Does Krewe ship internationally?
- Yes. Canada ships free with duties included, a list of other countries ships free with duties paid at checkout, and elsewhere duties are due on delivery. In the US, orders of $255 and up ship free by two-day FedEx.
- Where can I buy Krewe?
- On the brand's own site, or through our Krewe picks.
- When does Krewe go on sale?
- Across the 2 sales we have tracked, Krewe has run one about every 2 quarters. A sale landed in the last few days.
- How much does Krewe discount?
- Their sales consistently reach about 45% off.
- Which brands are like Krewe?
- If you like Krewe, look at For Art’s Sake and Poppy Lissiman.