Bohten Year in Review and Reflection
2021 has been marked with monumental highs for us – although challenging, we have remained steadfast in bringing you the best of the Bohten experience through in-person events, the latest fashion news and exclusive offers.
As we reflect on the past year, we hope you take pride in surviving a tumultuous year. Whether you’ve met your yearly goals or had setbacks along the way, you’ve done enough. We are inspired by the Bohten community, a collective group of creative, rousing and thought-provoking individuals who are unbounded by the hurdles life throws our way. Your support has made it clear that to thrive in an era like this, we need each other. We recognize and nurture the contribution of your candid voices on our social media platforms. Your words of encouragement, recommendations and nuggets of motivation do not go unnoticed.
As we enter 2022, we encourage you to continue to learn from one another. Seek to understand the perspective of others, enter into every room (and Zoom call) with good intention, listen to each other, travel, laugh often and make time for solitude. Find time to reflect on what you have accomplished thus far and write a list of what you hope to accomplish this coming year. The road ahead is bright for you and we can’t wait to follow your journey. Use the hashtag #WeSeeYou when posting your achievements along the way.
As we watch you celebrate your achievements, be sure to look out for our latest #WeSeeYou campaign launching this upcoming spring. Also, be on the lookout for a Bohten collaboration in the works with the team at Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Black Panther II: Wakanda Forever. We can’t wait to share with you what we have in store! It has been an honor to serve you this year, and we remain hopeful and enthusiastic as ever about what is yet to come.
While you’re here, take a look back at what we’ve done this year!
ALLWOOD MRKT X BÔHTEN COLLABORATION
We are excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with our friends at ALLWOOD MRKT on an exclusive limited edition sunwear line. Combining refined luxury design with our shared values for sustainable practices, we’ve brought to life Kevin Allwood’s unique vision for a luxury sunwear line that will be dropping this summer. The collection will be exclusively available at ALLWOOD MRKT in the Toronto location and online.
HURI MOVEMENT X BÔHTEN EYEWEAR: SUSTAINABLE AFROCENTRIC FASHION
In celebration of Earth week, we partnered up with Huri Movement, a sustainable Afrocentric fashion brand that supports elements of empowerment through a cultural perspective. The label designs with an ethical point of view by sourcing and incorporating upcycled Kente fabric textiles from Ghana into their apparel. Our shared passion for combining pieces of Africa, new-age fashion, cultural roots and mindfulness into the perfect statement pieces placed us in alignment for an original visual collaboration.
REDDYYETI BEACH AND SURF GIVEAWAY
We were excited to announce that we are partnered up with ReddyYeti, along with other participating brands on a Beach and Surf Giveaway valued at $4000! The grand prize winner was geared with everything needed to hit the waves this past summer, including a $1000 digital coupon to shop at bohten.com.
BOHTEN FEATURED AS ONE OF VOGUE’S ‘BRANDS TO KNOW’
Bohten’s Extel Blanc and Legend Orange Tortoise frames were recently featured in Vogue’s Because You Can Never Have Too Many Shades, 18 Sunglasses Brands to Know and Shop as one of the world’s “expertly crafted shades,” marking a pinnacle moment in African eyewear. Our featured sunglasses join the ranks of Le Specs and Ray-Ban as one of the driving forces in fashion eyewear. We are honored to stand alongside the other reputable brands featured and we look forward to advancing the pioneering path of Bohten’s growing brand through advocacy, innovation, sustainability and style.
BUZZFEED NAMES BOHTEN EYEWEAR AN ESSENTIAL BUY FOR THE GLOBAL CONSUMER
Bohten Eyewear has been featured – not once – but twice in BuzzFeed as one must-have product to have this summer. Last month, we were featured in 42 Purchases That Are Not Only Practical, But Fun, Too alongside other top brands like Urban Outfitters and Green Chef.
VOGUE BUSINESS, ALLURE HIGHLIGHT BOHTEN’S SUSTAINABILITY AND STYLE
Allure featured Bohten as one of The Best Places to Buy Eye Glasses Online, stating that their love for our frames stems from utilizing “sustainably sourced materials, such as reclaimed wood, to produce a selection of one-of-a-kind glasses and sunglasses” and Vogue Business listed Bohten as one of eyewear’s new indie brands that thrive on a mission to be ground-breaking and forward-thinking by bringing innovation and vitality to vision.
WE ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT HARRY ROSEN!
Have you heard the exciting news? As you might have read in Fashion Magazine, Bôhten Eyewear is now be available at Canada's leading luxury menswear retailer, Harry Rosen! You can now shop a curated selection of our brand new styles and best-sellers. You can find us at 4 Canadian Harry Rosen store locations and online at harryrosen.com. Locations include popular shopping centers like Eaton Center, Sherway Gardens, Square One, and Chinook Center Calgary.
WAGASHI & WINE - A COMPANY MIXER
Close to two dozen Bohten staff members convened for our inaugural company mixer, Wagashi & Wine. The mixer, scheduled to happen quarterly, allowed employees an opportunity to connect, reflect and rewind after a productive and successful first half of 2021.
BEHIND THE SCENES: ANITA HOSANNA SHARES INSPIRATION BEHIND LATEST BOHTEN PHOTO SHOOT
In collaboration with Bôhten, Ottawa-based fashion stylist and creative consultant, Anita Hosanna was commissioned to capture images inspired by nature to showcase the evolution of Bôhten frames. Using sophisticated techniques, her shots give a glimpse inside the modernity and classic style of Bôhten.
IN THE PRESS: SLICE & REDDYYETI FEATURE BOHTEN FRAMES
A partnership with ReddyYeti.com, an online platform that catalogues the experience of CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs in the outdoor sports industry, brought about a product review of our Bohten frames. The owner Matt, featured Bohten on their ‘First Look’ YouTube segment and shared his review on some of our classic Bohten looks such as the Aristotles and the Jade collection.
Slice, a space “where real womxn, real talk about fashion and beauty, sex, relationships and mental health, money and careers, travel and TV” featured Bohten in their 10 Best Designer Sunglasses You Should Buy for Summer piece.
BOHTEN WELCOMES GLOBAL GYAL
One of our most recent additions to our Accra team is a Travel Vlogger called Global Gyal. Born and raised in Antigua and Barbuda 🇦🇬 in the Caribbean, Alyssa Derrick, (aka Global Gyal), comes from a colorful, dynamic region that has been 100% infused into her personality.
BÔHTEN FEATURED IN THE PRESS: SHARP MAGAZINE, TEF
One of Bohten’s most popular frames, the Aristotles, has been featured in The Eyewear Forum (TEF) magazine, the only optical magazine that works with independent eyewear brands to create content with optical influencers from all over the world.
Bôhten was shortlisted as one of the top eight Black-owned Canadian fashion brands by SHARP magazine, a Canadian men's lifestyle magazine targeting premium and luxury consumers. Editors raved about our fresh spin on the classic aviator by using acetate, metal and reclaimed ebony wood. Our sustainability impact received recognition as well. It was noted that our “long-term goal is to manufacture all of its products in Ghana, while drafting a blueprint for sustainable manufacturing on the continent.”
We are pleased to announce yet another new partnership with Industrie Africa - “The definitive platform for African fashion”. Launched in 2018, Industrie Africa was created as a portal for discovery of exceptional designer talent. Since then, they have received international acclaim for “its unique digital showcase and diverse representation of Africa’s contemporary fashion landscape.”
BOHTEN NOW AVAILABLE ON INDUSTRIE AFRICA
We are pleased to announce yet another new partnership with Industrie Africa - “The definitive platform for African fashion”. Launched in 2018, Industrie Africa was created as a portal for discovery of exceptional designer talent. Since then, they have received international acclaim for “its unique digital showcase and diverse representation of Africa’s contemporary fashion landscape.”
BÔHTEN PARTNERS WITH SESO GLOBAL FOR EXCLUSIVE OPEN HOUSE EVENT AT PARADISE EDGE
“We are excited to partner with Seso Global, a company that has proven to be one of the standout stars within the African real estate space,” said Nana Boateng Osei, Bôhten’s co-founder and CEO. “Their work has redefined the landscape in many cities across the continent and we look forward to partnering with Seso to raise the benchmark and set higher standards among the business landscape in Africa.”
BÔHTEN FEATURED ON SHOPIFY'S BUILD BLACK PANEL
On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, Bôhten co-founder, Nana Boateng Osei, joined a distinguished panel featuring leading Black business owners for an in-depth discussion about identity, brand awareness and business building on Shopify.
BÔHTEN JOINS WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION FOR WORLD SIGHT DAY
More than anything else, we want you to know that We See You, and we want you to see us, too – but not just us – we want you to see the world around you in the most vivid and impactful way. That’s not the easiest of tasks for at least 2.2 billion people, though. Globally, 15 percent of the population have a near or distance vision impairment. In 1 billion of these cases, vision impairment could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. It is a part of the reason why stand with the World Health Organization to commemorate World Sight Day, an annual day of awareness shining light on vision impairment, including blindness.
BOHTEN FEATURED IN THE PRESS: KUUL PEEPS, ELLE CANADA
Over the last week, Bohten was featured ‘In the Press’ not once but twice on international online platforms! The first is based in Ghana and is called Kuulpeeps, dubbed as ‘the official website for Ghana's no.1 campus portal & your guide to young people.’ Meanwhile, Elle Canada - a woman’s lifestyle magazine - included Bohten in their gift guide for him this holiday season. We’re definitely excited to share what they decided to say about us!
BOHTEN TURNS 9
It was on November 12th nine years ago in 2012, when Nana Boateng came up with the idea to create an eyewear brand, where frames would be made from wooden materials from his homeland Ghana. His brother, Nana Kwadwo, not too long after jumped on board and 'Bohten' was born. It's a brand that encapsulates its African heritage to portray and emanate style, fashion, travel and adventure. 9 years later, with the help of staying true to themselves and the brand, it's grown into a true reflection of the vast variety people that wear them today.
BOHTEN X NORDSTROM EVENT SHINES LIGHT ON BLACK CULTURE AND IDENTITY
Close to 50 people convened at the Nordstrom flagship store just south of Central Park in Manhattan for The Bôhten Experience, a celebration of Bôhten's recent launch in Nordstrom stores across North America. The exclusive, one-time-only experience was the first of its kind for the company and the leading fashion retailer, and included a fireside chat centered around conversations tied to Black culture and identity.
BÔHTEN 2.0: ANNOUNCING NEW COLLECTIONS AND A FAREWELL
Bôhten turned nine this year, marking almost a decade of developing some of the most distinct frames in the optical industry.
Great design is what defines our eyewear, and we are proud to announce a new rollout of collections designed by some of the world’s leading artisans and engineers. While we work to bring new lines to you, it is time to say goodbye to others. Beginning in 2022, we will be phasing out our Aristotle line, and there is no better time to say farewell.
IN THE PRESS: IN STYLE FEATURE
2021 has been a year of hard-work and innovation for us here at Bohten, as we continue to bring stylish eco-luxury eyewear to our Bohten supporters. That's why we’re always thrilled when our work is highlighted in notable fashion magazines, online platforms and the like. For this month, we’re excited to share our feature in In Style Magazine’s December/January issue. On this occasion, In Style decided to feature one of our popular Bohten frames - The Voyager Blue.
BÔHTEN & ‘THE REPUBLIC’ PARTNER FOR 3-DAY CONFERENCE AND CONCERT
We hope you were able to join Bôhten and one of Ghana’s hottest lounges and creative spaces, The Republic, for a three-day conference and concert this December in the heart of Accra.
Beginning Monday, December 27th, The Republic hosted The Spirit Music and Creative Arts Conference, The Republic Spirit Small Business & Investment Conference and the Republic Spirit Music Fest.
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BOHTEN & AFROCHELLA COLLABORATE ON FASHION NIGHT OUT
We’ve partnered with Afrochella - one of Ghana’s most popular event line ups - to be featured as one of their multi-brand pop ups during their first ever Fashion Night Out. Presented by Instagram, this Afrochella event is “designed to celebrate the thriving fashion scene in Africa and showcase up-and-coming designers from the continent.”