I-Sea Sunglasses S/S 2026 Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Sunglasses S/S 2026 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: I-Sea
Interviewee: Allison Singer & Joey Santley – Co-Founders & Co-CEOs
How have your sales been in 2025 so far?
Sales have remained strong throughout 2025, we are continuing to see double digit growth. All of our product launches this year have been particularly well received. We also recently launched our I-SEA Reader Program, and U.S. sales are already off to a strong start. We’re on track to meet our year-end targets.
What are the key trends in sunglasses for board sports for Spring/Summer 2026?
We continue to see strong momentum in shield and wraparound shapes within board sports. To capture this growing market, we’re introducing two new frames in this category for Summer 2026. High-performance styles and technical features are another major trend. All of our lenses are polarized and treated with a hydrophobic coating to repel water. Many of our sport styles also include non-slip nose pads and are constructed from TR90, which is a flexible, lightweight, and highly durable material ideal for active use. Sustainability remains a key focus across the board sports industry. We’re continuing to expand our CPR Sustainable Series, which has been resonating with our customers and aligns with the values of the brand and the customer.
Which segment of your 2025 offering is selling best and why?
Our women’s segment continues to perform exceptionally well, driven by the strength and diversity of our collections, combined with women’s highly engaged shopping habits. We’ve also seen strong success with our Athlete Signature Series. The athletes we’ve partnered with are genuinely passionate about their frames, and each style reflects the unique personality of the individual. This authenticity has clearly resonated with our customers.
What frame shapes and colours will you offer in your SS26 collection?
For SS26, we’re introducing a variety of new shapes and sizes. On the women’s side, we’ve curated a well-rounded lineup that includes cat-eyes, rectangles, oversized styles, and mini sunnies. For men, we’re adding a strong mix of aviators, fashion-forward styles, and sporty silhouettes. We aim to offer a wide range of shapes and sizes so there’s something to catch everyone’s eye on the rack. As for colours, we are carrying Raspberry throughout a lot of the women’s shapes. Red continues to trend this season, and our deep raspberry tone strikes a balance between fun and wearable. For a pop of colour, we’ve included fresh accents of Pool, Emerald, and Seaweed. We’re also continuing to offer the classics—like black and tort—but we’re excited to introduce a new “Blue Tort,” a modern twist on the traditional tortoiseshell with subtle blue accents.
What materials are you using in your SS26 collection?
Our SS26 collection primarily features premium nylon and TR90 frames, known for their durability, flexibility, and lightweight comfort. We’re also continuing to expand our CPR Sustainable Series, which now includes four styles—among them the Cole Houshmand and Ivan Florence signature models.
What lens technologies will you offer in your SS26 collection?
All of the lenses in our SS26 collection are polarised and offer 100% UV protection. They’re also anti-scratch and hydrophobic—perfect for ocean lovers and active lifestyles. Our Ivan Florence and Cole Houshmand signature models feature Multi-Layer Lamination lenses, which set a new standard in clarity and incorporate recycled materials. These premium features, combined with our competitive pricing, continue to resonate strongly with our customers.
Which lens colours and tints will you be offering in SS26?
We are offering some key new lens colors, like Ocean, Navy, and Taupe, that will be featured in multiple styles this year. We also carried over the classics, like Smoke, Plum, Brown, and Green.
Any new sustainable practices in your production and shipping processes?
We are continuing to expand our CPR sustainable series. These frames are made with Tritan Renew Recycled Materials from Eastman.
What are your SS26 marketing stories?
We are excited to welcome Jack Robinson and William Aliotti to the I-SEA family! Jack, a West Oz charger and powerhouse on the WSL Championship Tour, is coming off an impressive 5th-place finish this year. We’re thrilled to have such an all-around great surfer and human join the team. Equally exciting is the addition of William Aliotti, a French style-master known for always being in the right place at the right time—he spends more time in the barrel in one week than most people do in a lifetime. We couldn’t be happier to have both of these incredible talents on board. One of our main marketing stories is the combination quality and affordability in our frames. Customers continue to respond positively to our use of premium materials, fashion-forward designs, and polarized lenses—all offered at a reasonable price point. Throughout the season, we plan to focus on educating buyers about the product features and our competitive pricing. We will continue our partnership with the World Surf League (WSL) as the Official Sunglass of the league. I-SEA is proud to sponsor two tour athletes, Jack Robinson and Cole Houshmand (ranked 10th in 2025). We plan to share stories of their results and travels throughout the year. Our marketing will also highlight our athletes’ signature styles, including Cole Houshmand, Ivan Florence, Greyson Fletcher, and Blair Conklin. The SS26 Women’s campaign was shot on an island off the coast of California and will serve as the central focus of our marketing efforts this year. Additionally, we will follow the journeys of our athletes Alana Lopez and Talia Swindal as they compete in the WSL Qualifying and Challenger Series, respectively. Fall 2025 marked the launch of I-SEA’s brand-new reader division, consisting of 9 styles. The launch & marketing have been well received, and we look forward to sharing the story of this program with two new reader collections planned for 2026.
How will you support retailers to sell this category?
We provide our retailers with in-store POP materials and imagery for both physical displays and online use, including web and social media assets. Additionally, we send weekly email updates that offer retailers and consumers valuable insights on key product details and featured styles. At the beginning of every season, our sales team sends out an email to our sales rep force talking about every style & its features. This ensures our entire team is fully informed about the new collection and equipped with the tools they need to effectively sell. We also have three different display case options for any retailer’s needs. These include a 24-unit countertop, perfect for boutiques, a 64-unit floor display, and a 114-unit mega display.
Key Products:
COLE HOUSHMAND:
In Summer 2025, we launched the Cole Houshmand Signature Series, which has quickly become a staple and best-seller in our line. The shape is instantly recognizable by the gold emblem on the temples—a distinctive detail that sets it apart. We loved collaborating with Cole on this design. We infused his personal style into the frame, incorporating a sleek design and unique touches like leopard print on the inner temples of the Black/Smoke colorway. This standout style has become a favorite among our retailers and continues to be one of the most in-demand shapes in our collection.
COLE_BLACK_SMOKE
EMORY:
Emory is launching in part of our Spring 2026 line. This is an oversized rectangle shape, that has a thick temple shape that gives this frame a flattering & unique look. This frame looks good on both women & men. Emory brings instant cool to any outfit.
EMORY-RASPBERRY-PLUM
MAYA:
One key trend we’ve been seeing is the return of classic frame shapes, complete with a unique element. Introducing Maya, our new midsize oval frame, but with a twist. The temples feature wavy temple design that gives the perfect pop of character to a timeless shape. This style is effortlessly cool & poised to become a staple for retailers and a favorite among customers.
MAYA-OAK-BROWN
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