Who would buy glasses online? Plenty of people in the US, if Warby Parker is anything to go by.

The brand has been valued at $1.2bn (£825m) and was founded in 2010 by Neil Blumenthal, Dave Gilboa, Andy Hunt and Jeff Raider. They created a business model that cut out the middle man, selling glasses direct for under $100 (£68) to customers online, and via an increasing number of bricks-and-mortar stores.

It opened its first shop in 2013 as an experiment, and around half of the company’s 500 employees are now based in stores. Its store presence is said to enhance online sales and the brand’s focus has always been to listen to the customer.

The company also works with not-for-profit organisations, making a monthly donation based on to the number of glasses it has sold.