GENTLE MONSTER

Gentle Monster is a Seoul eyewear label founded in 2011 by Hankook Kim, operating under parent company IICOMBINED. It designs sunglasses and optical frames with oversized, sculptural silhouettes and Asian-fit proportions, sold through gallery-style flagship stores built around rotating art installations. Backers include L Catterton and EssilorLuxottica, and in June 2025 Google invested about $100 million for a roughly 4% stake tied to the brand's work on Android XR smart glasses. Sister brands include Tamburins beauty and Nudake dessert cafes.