Elisa Johnson’s Turned Her Sunglasses Obsession Into A Brand

Move over celebrity beauty lines, this year is all about the shades. Elisa Johnson, Fashion Institute of Technology grad and daughter of basketball legend Magic Johnson, is launching her debut fashion collection: a five-piece line of sunglasses.

“Eyewear is one of my favorite things in fashion. I think that I've always had a knack for finding unique pieces,” Johnson tells NYLON. “I think that eyewear was just something that I always had a pull towards.”

In addition to studying fashion business at FIT, the 26-year-old also interned for Corianna and Brianna Dotson, founders of sunglass company Coco & Breezy. Her own line has been in the works for three years, beginning with Johnson sketching out her designs and sending them over to a manufacturer. Now she has “boxes of acetates and lenses” for herself to flesh out the products.

While Johnson says she has gone to her dad for some business advice, she admitted that he’s not her go-to for style inquiries. For that, she consulted her older brother, EJ.

“My dad has been a part of the whole entire process because he is my No. 1 investor. I think for me, working with my dad has been fun, but stylewise, I would go to my brother,” she says. “We definitely have had those moments where I was like, ‘Do you like these? Or you prefer these?’ And he does have a very [luxurious] style, so it definitely was helpful for me to go to him and get his feedback.”

The Elisa Johnson debut collection includes five styles, which come in up to three different colorways, ranging from dramatic square frames to vintage-inspired, oversized aviators.

“I wanted to make sure that I hit all different types of people and I wanted to make sure that everybody could wear them,” she says. “There is a style for everyone in the collection, basically.”

Shop Elisa Johnson’s sunglasses collection over on the brand’s website, and check out campaign imagery, below.