It started on a beach during lockdown.

Downtown Toronto. Summer 2020. I was broke, burnt out, and unsure what was next. Sitting on the beach, I had the outfit, the energy — but my sunglasses? A complete fail. They looked like Harry Potter and John Lennon had a baby. I didn’t feel like me. I didn’t feel cute. And it was all because of one thing: the fit.

As someone with a wide face, I had spent years settling for sunglasses that pinched, slid, or looked awkward. Everything was made for narrow oval faces that excluded people like me.

Right then, truly like an idea that washed up on shore:

“I’m going to make the widest, best-fitting women’s sunglasses on the market.”

And I did.

I spent the rest of that summer buried in research — learning everything from eye protection to lens materials, acetate vs plastic, and optical engineering. At night, I was on Zoom calls with manufacturers, R&D teams, and engineers to bring my vision to life.

As a makeup artist, I’ve spent over a decade working with light, shadow, symmetry, and structure. So I applied that same artistry to sunglasses — using construction paper and scissors to experiment with shapes that would lift and enhance wider faces, instead of dragging them down.

Eventually, I designed our first prototype — a now-signature silhouette that became the Kyst Eye. And yes, we’re still using that same iconic design today.

When I posted the black Kyst Eye prototype on TikTok, I didn’t expect much. But within days, it had 120,000+ views. The comments were flooded with excitement from people who had never found sunglasses that truly fit. I didn’t even have a website yet.

So I scrambled. Launched a landing page. Collected 1,200+ emails in one weekend. Built my Shopify store in three days. And when I finally opened orders for one style — just one — in one size and one color… we made over $10,000 on launch day.

It was thrilling — and terrifying. We didn’t even have inventory in hand. But I knew: this was bigger than sunglasses.

The Launch: June 2021

When the full collection arrived, we packed and shipped our first 350 orders. Within two weeks, we had over 50 five-star reviews — people writing full essays about how these glasses made them feel seen for the first time. That’s when I realized this was a mission, not just a business.

Sol Kyst Today

Now four years later, Sol Kyst has grown into a global brand with customers in over 50 countries. We became the first and only size-inclusive eyewear brand, offering our signature designs in three sizes: Mini, Midi, and Wide.

We’ve been featured in top fashion publications, pitched on Dragons’ Den, partnered with Barbie for an 8-piece licensed collection, and most recently appeared on QVC.

But our biggest pride? The community. Over 650 five-star reviews, all powered by word-of-mouth, social media, and shared stories.