Stranger Things Star Millie Bobby Brown On Specsavers Collab And Designing Eyewear For Gen Z

Millie Bobby Brown realised she needed glasses after squinting through auditions. Now, in a collaboration with Specsavers, she’s making her own.

It’s been a big year for Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown.

The 20-year-old actress and producer shot to fame as Eleven on the hit Netflix series, and is set to close that chapter with the release of the fifth and final season in 2025. Brown is also set to star in upcoming sci-fi film The Electric State alongside Chris Pratt, to be released in March next year.

It’s also been a milestone year in terms of the star’s personal life. She married Jake Bongiovi – the son of Jon Bon Jovi – reportedly in May this year. However, it wasn’t until October that Brown shared snaps of the lavish ceremony in Italy with her Instagram followers.

Other than her acting career, her passion project has to be florence by mills – a brand she named for her grandmother that started with skincare products aimed at her Gen Z fans.

Over the years, it’s evolved to include makeup, fragrance, clothing, pet accessories and even coffee. Now, florence by mills has collaborated with Specsavers to create a collection of eyewear in a range of pastel shades. It comes as a natural next step for the brand and Brown herself, who wears glasses almost daily.

Here, she reveals what inspired the collection and shares how one of her earliest acting memories may have just led to this moment.

Congratulations on your collaboration with Specsavers – how did this come about?

I think I always knew I wanted to collaborate with Specsavers with florence by mills eyewear. I remember growing up, going to Specsavers and seeing their commercials so it seemed like the right fit for us!

How involved were you in the design process for the frames and what inspired those designs?

I was very involved! I wear glasses almost every day, so I really wanted to try everything on, and look at all the different colour and shape options to make sure that we were creating a collection that would appeal to a lot of people.

Which style is your personal favourite?

I love our large square frames with the mint green trim! They are such a statement piece but also go with everything so I love those for every day!

How long have you worn glasses or contacts? Which do you prefer?

I’ve been wearing glasses for years! I remember when I first started doing auditions, my parents would tell me that I was squinting a lot at the camera so that’s my earliest memory of knowing I needed glasses.

I really like both contacts and glasses, I think there is a time and a place for both! Contacts, of course, are essential when I’m filming – but I love in my personal time to wear glasses.

As you’ve got older, how has your style changed and how do you incorporate eyewear into that?

I think my style has changed subtly – but similar to most, I’ve got older and matured, so of course my style has as well.

I definitely still love colourful pieces and having fun with fashion, but I do think I now have more of an eye for practicality. Now, for day-to-day I really think about what’s easy, comfortable and cute!

florence by mills started as a beauty brand and evolved to include fashion – was eyewear a natural next step for the brand?

Definitely! I always looked at eyewear when styling different looks as that perfect final step and statement piece.

I love that eyewear can combine the two worlds of practicality and fashion in an effortless way. I need to wear glasses, so why not have fun styling them!

Bethany Reitsma is an Auckland-based journalist covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined The New Zealand Herald in 2019.

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