This past New York Fashion Week, Luar’s spring 2025 runway was ablaze with the bold, oversized silhouette of gigantic shield shades. These statement styles, impossible to miss, were the result of a collaboration between designer Raul Lopez and Fellow Earthlings, a Canadian eyewear label based in Prince Edward Island that’s quickly becoming the go-to source for fun and unique runway glasses.
Sydney and Christopher Seggie, the husband and wife duo behind Fellow Earthlings, are masters of eyewear. Before launching their brand in 2015, they honed their skills managing licensed eyewear products in cities like Hong Kong and London. But the creative constraints they encountered pushed them to take matters into their own hands. “It often felt creatively limiting, and that frustration drove us to learn how to make eyewear ourselves,” Sydney explains.
Upon returning to their native PEI, they began crafting their vision for Fellow Earthlings. Today, they operate a fully-fledged studio, creating sunglasses from recycled acetates. “They’re made in-house from what would normally be manufacturing waste,” Sydney shares. “Typically, 80 percent of each slab is discarded in standard production. Developing our recycling process also gave us the ability to create custom acetate, allowing us to experiment with color and thickness.”
Their commitment to sustainability and unique design hasn’t gone unnoticed. Since launching, Fellow Earthlings has become a sought-after source for bold runway styles, working with brands like Luar and Anna Sui. Their first high-fashion collaboration, a pair of cloud-inspired shades for Anna Sui in 2020, was born out of the pandemic lockdown. “We made them in isolation during Covid lockdown, and I felt like they were timely when we all needed a little lightness and a filter on the world with the soft pastel tints,” Sydney reminisces.
The brand’s partnership with Luar has flourished, leading to several eye-catching creations. In spring 2024, they collaborated on exaggerated shades that doubled as a mask, becoming a favorite of stars like Solange and Doja Cat. This season’s thick shield shades, crafted from black marble acetates, drew inspiration from the punk glam movement of the late ’90s. When Madonna was spotted wearing them in the front row, it was a true pinch-me moment for Sydney. “So iconic,” she says.
Fellow Earthlings isn’t just designing for the runway, however. They’ve also crafted the cat-eye shades seen on Blake Lively in Vogue’s September issue and have been creating custom designs for Adele for years. “I really feel she is the Paulette Guinet of our times,” Sydney says.
Beyond their collaborations with fashion icons, Sydney and Christopher are deeply committed to environmental responsibility. “A key focus for us has been developing our in-house recycling program,” Sydney explains. “We’re also in the process of becoming the first eyewear manufacturing facility powered entirely by renewable energy, with plans for a solar field on our property.”
As they look to the future, the pair has their sights set on collaborating with one of fashion’s hottest designers: Emily Bode. “I love Emily Bode’s work, and her emphasis on using vintage fabrics and telling personal stories through fashion,” Sydney shares. They dream of creating unique and sustainable eyewear that complements her designs.
“We want to be the go-to partner for designers,” Sydney says. “Your friends in eyewear!” Fellow Earthlings is proving that sustainability and style can go hand-in-hand, and their commitment to both is making them a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world.
