How Paige Brubaker’s Long Beach Roots Inspired Her Eclectic Sunglasses Brand, BRU EYEWEAR

In just a couple of years, BRU EYEWEAR has gone from a brand-new company to a tastemaking brand beloved by stars including Justin and Hailey Bieber—and they're only getting bigger.

It was founded in 2022 by Paige Brubaker, combining innovative and eclectic eyewear design inspired by her hometown of Long Beach, California with a focus on self-expression and sustainability, and without ever sacrificing style. Every frame plays homage to the town's local culture and history, with architectural elements and vintage fashion infused into the frames, so that BRU EYEWEAR doesn't follow the trends, but instead creates them. We had the opportunity to chat with Paige to learn about her story and the brand in the interview below.

Name: Paige Brubaker

IG handles: @paigebrubaker  and @brueyewear

Hometown: Long Beach, California

Zodiac sign: Aquarius

(Photo credit: Ali Maister)

 

1. Paige's passion for style really began with home design.

"I remember being an early teen and my mom said I could redecorate my room (for context, she is extremely open-minded and never really advises me or persuades me in any direction). I fully did exactly what my little heart desired. We stained the floors black and I painted one wall red. I remember my mom being so in awe of what I had put together. I think her believing in me so heavily really gave me the confidence to explore and play with my own style."

-Paige Brubaker

2. Her style is inspired by everything from the Olsen Twins to '90s rom-coms, Zoë Kravitz, her friends and her family.

"It is also heavily controlled by my mood. I definitely thrive on being able to change my look from day to day, as it takes away the monotony of life and feels more playful. I also love dabbling into trends in a way that is digestible to me—on the contrary, being too trendy is a no. I specifically love sunglasses, shoes and coats. You definitely can't have too many of those."

-Paige Brubaker

3. The creation of BRU EYEWEAR was also inspired by family.

"I grew up with half-siblings who are both designers and started their own brand. From a young age, I was surrounded by all the beauties and hardships of what owning a business looked like. They really paved the way and showed me that being a creative one, is possible and two, can pay
the bills. Ultimately, making work something to love rather than something that has to be done. It truly was never a matter of if I would start a brand, but what and when.

I was always drawn to buying vintage, as its quality and uniqueness cannot compare. I had made quite the collection of vintage eyewear. They were always better than what was in the market because they actually fit my face and the shades of color were so good. I can remember being on a walk with my brother, and it fully hit me that sunglasses were the direction I was supposed to go in. I remember needing zero advice or thoughts from other people as I just knew that was it (truly the best feeling when that happens)."

-Paige Brubaker

(Photo credit: Matthew Kavanagh)

 

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4. The brand captures a feel and aesthetic that could truly only come from Paige.

"It was important to me while creating the brand that it felt like it encompassed all of my different styles. I specifically didn't want it to feel like it could be easily defined into one category. Life is not black and white—it's very grey, and so is BRU. I grew up in Long Beach, California, a diverse beach city that shaped me into the woman I am today. All of the styles we have made are named after historical buildings from my hometown. This, along with BRU's attention to detail, high-quality
materials, one-of-a-kind branding and meticulous color coordination are all a part of what makes BRU different from other sunglass brands out there."

-Paige Brubaker

5. BRU is an abbreviation of Paige's last name, Brubaker.

"It is extra special to me as it reminds me of my father, who passed when I was 12. He lives on through me and my siblings and now through BRU as well <3."

-Paige Brubaker

(Photo credit: Matthew Kavanagh)

6. Her go-to outfit when she's in a rush is a skirt, T-shirt, coat, flats and BRU sunglasses.

7. The best advice she ever received was, "It's not hard, you just haven't learned it yet," from my godmother Magda.

 

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8. Her favorite pair of BRU sunglasses is the Lindens.

"They feel sporty, chic, and still something classic that can be worn every day. Creating something that has balance or multiple personalities is my favorite. Linden is also the name of the street I grew up on."

-Paige Brubaker

(via BRU EYEWEAR)

9. Her favorite sunglasses trend at the moment is definitely the hot librarian.

10. One of the most important things about Paige is her passion.

"Since I was a little girl, I would get extremely excited about things, and that quality is still with me. It's something about myself that I have learned is special as I think sadly people lose that excitement with age. So just know that behind every pair of sunglasses was a girl who was wide-eyed and big-smiled with the opening of every new sample. I truly love every second of
designing and growing this community."

-Paige Brubaker

 

For more on the entrepreneurs who inspire us, click HERE to learn all about the duo behind Bur Bur hair care.