Foster Grant, founded in 1919 by Sam Foster in Leominster, Massachusetts, initially manufactured ladies’ hair accessories using celluloid, a new plastic material. The company shifted focus to sunglasses in 1929, marking its first sale on the Atlantic City boardwalk. This move capitalized on sunglasses’ rising popularity as functional eyewear and fashion accessories, driven in part by Hollywood celebrities.

Foster Grant’s breakthrough came with its famous “Who’s That Behind Those Foster Grants?” advertising campaign in the 1960s and 1970s, featuring stars like Raquel Welch and Peter Sellers. This campaign helped cement Foster Grant as a household name and an iconic brand in eyewear fashion.

Over the decades, Foster Grant experienced several ownership changes. The company was sold to Hoechst A.G. in 1975 and faced financial difficulties in the 1980s, leading to bankruptcy in 1990. It was acquired by the Bonneau Company and later by Benson Eyecare Corporation. In 2010, FGX International, the parent company of Foster Grant, was acquired by Essilor, now part of EssilorLuxottica.

Today, Foster Grant is renowned for its wide range of stylish and affordable sunglasses and reading glasses. The brand continues innovating with polarized lenses and blue light-blocking glasses. Foster Grant also engages in significant charitable efforts, donating millions of pairs of reading glasses to needy people through programs like RestoringVision.