2017 marks the anniversary of Jason and Karen Kirk’s 25th year of working in optics, and like any good story, it is a tale of love, heartache, and passion. The world of optics is in Jason Kirk’s blood, his Grandfather and Grandfather’s brother (Sidney and Percy Kirk) established Kirk Brothers in 1919, a company that was instrumental in the growth of the British optical industry. Jason’s father, Neville, and all his brothers and cousins worked as opticians, and from the age of three, Jason spent every Saturday perched on the reception desk at his father’s practice in Kingsbury listening, learning and exploring.

Unexpectedly, Jason studied French at university and his work life began in publishing, then some time working as a sales and marketing manager for L’Oreal. Meanwhile, Karen had a career as an accomplished graphic designer for a London design agency. One day in early 1990, Jason was helping his father clear out his practice when he stumbled across a box of old frames, it was this moment that ignited his passion for the eyewear industry.