There was a time when wearing smart glasses instantly marked you as a nerd, but those days are well behind us. Meta has teamed up with eyewear powerhouse EssilorLuxottica to make its Ray-Ban glasses look like normal specs, and the fashion side has come a long way. But an Italian startup thinks there is still room to have some fun, and I am here for it.
What exactly are these Ontop covers?
Meet Lorika, a self-described team of entrepreneurs under 30, and their first product called Ontop. The name fits, because these brightly colored frame covers sit right on top of your Ray-Ban Meta glasses.They are made from polycarbonate plastic with elastic polymers woven in for stability. One piece clips around the lens and covers the hinges, while the others snap onto the arms. Don’t worry, they leave the cameras and speakers untouched.
The covers are just one millimeter thick, but clipping them on does give your glasses a noticeably chunkier, puffier look. As Lorika CEO Giorgio Di Cesare told Wired, if you want something more chubby and puffy, you can finally get that. They are available today and cost either $35 or $40 depending on the model. For now, they work on the Wayfarer version of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, both first and second generation.
How did this idea come to life?
The inspiration came from a relatable place. Di Cesare was an early Ray-Ban Meta customer, and he was gutted when one of his pairs snapped at the hinge. He took a page from phone cases and decided to make something that protects and reinforces the glasses while adding a splash of personality.
Most popular smart glasses come in black or dark colors, and Di Cesare wants to break that monotony. While Lorika has no official collaboration with Meta, the company eventually hopes to make covers for Oakley and Display glasses, and even cases for other brands down the line.