Lumete Eyewear—New Independent Designer Brand for Women, by Women

Based in New York City, Lumete (pronounced ‘lou-met’) is an independent designer eyewear brand for women, by women. Lumete is devoted to creating innovative, fine-quality eyewear and eyewear accessories. Its debut collection of handmade sunglasses combines sculptural detail, symbolic ornamentation and ultrafemininity with an avant-garde edge. Lumete is designed for the confident cosmopolitan woman who seeks unique pieces as a means to express her individuality.

On a quest to elevate the importance of sunglasses as the ultimate accessory, founders Clara Herrera and Barbara Warren have launched Lumete as a refreshing independent option in a market where designer brands license out their eyewear lines to optical conglomerates. The difference shows in the uniqueness of Lumete designs, the comfortable fitting, and the quality of the materials and craftsmanship.


Lumete Treasure Bag
Owned, founded and financed by friends Clara Herrera and Barbara Warren, Lumete was born out of Clara’s lifelong obsession with eyewear and Barbara’s longtime entrepreneurial dreams.

Clara Herrera, Lumete’s Designer and Creative Director, was born and raised in Colombia. She moved to New York City to attend The New School, where she received a multidisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master’s in Media Studies. Clara has worked in New York as Creative Director and product designer for an internationally-acclaimed upscale gift company. She has also served as a graphic artist and photography editor at a major international media network and a leading New York newspaper.

Barbara Warren, Lumete’s CEO, received a business degree from Texas A&M University and a law degree from Fordham University in New York. She worked for many years in the financial services industry in New York and Hong Kong.

Lumete’s vision derives from Clara’s eclectic mix of academic and aesthetic influences, which range from Gnostic philosophical motifs, seventeenth-century alchemy, Magical Realism and South American shamanism to Surrealist cinema, Art Noveau decorative arts and Pre-columbian craftwork.

“I have always been fascinated by sacred icons and ceremonial artifacts. I am moved not only by their beauty but also by the stories that produced them and the imaginative possibilities they offer. My creative process and my designs are heavily informed by symbolism and allegory. I am inspired to create objects that are beautiful and functional, yet imbued with a defiant idealism and a sense of reverence. Essential and emblematic, I approach eyeglasses as a sacred object. Having worn them since age four, I believe that eyeglasses are an integral part of one’s identity and expression.” said Lumete designer, Clara Herrera.