What is Labor? A Comprehensive Look at the Designer, the Brand’s Background, and Eyewear as a “Tool”

Labor is an eyewear brand based in Seoul, South Korea. The brand’s corporate profile states that it was founded in 2019. Considering glasses as “tools” used in everyday life, Labor focuses on the thickness of the acetate, the finish of the surfaces, and the balance when worn.

This approach is rooted in founder Joomyoung Song’s (JM Song) experience in media art and spatial design. Here, we organize publicly available information about the founder and the brand’s philosophy, and take a closer look at Labor’s designs through photos of products currently listed on DOWNTOWN.

01Labor’s Founding and Designer

The Founder is JM Song, Head of Habitant Studio

Labor’s official website introduces Joomyoung Song (JM Song / 송주명) as the founder. He leads Habitant Studio, a creative studio in Seoul. He is also listed on the official profile page as the director of both Habitant and Labor.

According to his official biography, JM Song has worked for over 20 years in media art and the visual design of urban spaces. His work has taken place in Seoul as well as Singapore, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, and Milan. He continues to use video and light to shape the impression of spaces where people spend their time.

A concrete example of this work is Habitant’s 2011 “EYE CONTACT MEDIA FACADE”. For this project on Seobu Island on Seoul’s Han River, JM Song was responsible for developing the video content. The official production record introduces media art using an LED screen measuring 40 m wide and 20 m high.

Drawing on this background, JM Song created Labor’s glasses as tools for everyday use. The official brand description emphasizes that the wearer should be able to express their individuality through the glasses and that the glasses should not conceal the wearer’s presence.

Source: Labor Official About / Habitant Official Production Record

02Design Themes and Concept

The Name “Labor” and Its Perspective on Workers

Labor means “work” or “labor.” The brand pays tribute to people who create value through their work and creative activities. This attitude is also evident in the “Laborer” profile page on the official website, which features photos of people in a variety of professions.

This philosophy is also reflected in the model names. ARCHITECT is for architects, BARBER is for barbers, and DRIVER is for drivers. Other models include TAILOR, referring to tailors, and BOTANIST, referring to botanists. The brand finds inspiration for its glasses in people’s work and lives.

For example, the official description states that BARBER was inspired by memories of a barbershop from childhood. DRIVER was inspired by sunglasses worn by truck drivers in the Mojave Desert. The names of professions also serve as concrete clues for considering the shape and use of each model.

Source: Labor Corporate Profile / Official BARBER / Official DRIVER

Minimal Decoration, Defining Impressions with Contours and Thickness

Looking at Labor’s frames, it is clear that they create an impression through contours, thickness, and luster rather than placing large logos or prominent metal decorations on the front. The thickness along the brow, the angled surfaces cut around the lenses, and the curves extending from the front to the temples—these small differences give each model its own character.

Black makes the shadows and highlights of the surfaces more visible, while yellow and pink give the contours a lighter appearance. Both colors make the shape of the frame itself stand out. Labor’s distinctive character lies in balancing minimal decoration with a strong sculptural presence.

Materials, Manufacturing Background, and Design for Long-Term Use

Labor has used acetate from Italy’s Mazzucchelli and sheets from Jimei as materials. By cutting and polishing the acetate surfaces, the brand creates angular contours and a smooth feel. The differences between models are expressed not only through the color of the material but also through where the thickness is retained.

Manufacturing involves several regions. The official pages for current models such as ARCHITECT and BARBER state that the frames are made in Sabae, Japan, and finished in South Korea. Meanwhile, the official page for the early TAILOR model explicitly states that the frames were made in Shenzhen, China. The brand’s production countries are not unified, so it is necessary to check the information for each model.

Additionally, the official website explains that to reduce unnecessary disposable parts, sunglasses lenses are fitted instead of dummy lenses in optical products. After replacing them with prescription lenses, the removed sunglass lenses can be stored and reused. This philosophy of using items for a long time is also reflected in the specifications at shipping.

Source: Eyestylist / Official ARCHITECT / Official TAILOR. These are official product descriptions. They do not uniformly indicate the manufacturing lot or included lenses for the products listed on DOWNTOWN.

03Product Features Seen in Photos

From here, we will examine the shapes and details using the products listed on DOWNTOWN. The sizes shown follow the specifications on our product pages.

ARCHITECT | A Three-Dimensional Front with Thickness Along the Brow

ARCHITECT is a model inspired by the structure and volume of architecture. Officially described as a D-shape, it has a relatively straight top while being rounded at the bottom. The photo from the front clearly shows the thickness retained along the brow.

It is also noteworthy that the outer contour and the shape of the lenses do not follow the same line. By adding thickness to the top and outer edges, surfaces are created around the lenses. The reflection of the black acetate highlights these surfaces, giving the all-black frame a three-dimensional appearance.

Furthermore, the inside of the temples features rulers in centimeters and inches. This detail evokes an architect’s scale. In the photo, small white dots and red lines can be seen arranged discreetly. This subtle design element, which is not noticeable from the outside when worn, corresponds to the model’s name.

The listed size is 49□22–147. BLACK×BLUE is a combination of a black frame and blue lenses. The blue of the lenses adds color inside the black contours.

View ARCHITECT col.BLACK / View BLACK×BLUE

BARBER | A Cut That Frames the Lenses and a Rounded Square

BARBER features a front that retains its square shape while having rounded corners. Compared to ARCHITECT, the thickness along the brow is more restrained, making the frame surrounding the lenses appear more natural. The line extending from the bridge to the temples is also clean.

Up close, the lenses feature television cuts. This refers to the angled surfaces that evoke the screen frames of old televisions. In addition to the contour seen from the front, another surface catches the light, creating subtle highlights and shadows even on an all-black frame.

Looking at the official description of memories of a barbershop makes the theme of a tool for grooming easier to understand. The listed size is 49□23.2–147. Among classic square styles, this model allows you to enjoy the different expressions created by the way it is cut and polished.

View BARBER col.BLACK

DRIVER | Horizontal Lenses and Tapered Temples

DRIVER is a model with a horizontal lens shape and a rounded front. The official inspiration is sunglasses worn by truck drivers in the Mojave Desert. The product photos show how the horizontal shape and the thickness of the front clearly frame the eyes.

The shape of the temples is distinctive when viewed from the side. They are wide near the front and taper toward the back. This design supports the volume of the front while creating a clean finish where the temples rest on the ears.

The listed size is 51□23.4–147. Since the BLACK version listed on DOWNTOWN is paired with clear lenses, another highlight is that the shape inspired by sunglasses can be worn as everyday glasses. Seeing the eyes through the lenses makes the curves of the frame even clearer.

View DRIVER col.BLACK

PATROL | Enjoy the Rounded Contours through Frame and Lens Colors

The official inspiration for PATROL is sunglasses worn by the Orange County Highway Patrol in the United States. Inspired by pilot-style sunglasses, the model uses continuous soft curves around the front.

The listed photos feature rounded lower lens edges and slightly flared ends. The top edge, extending from the center to the outside, also has a gentle curve, and from the front, the contours appear thinner than the other three models.

BLACK×YELLOW combines a black frame with pale yellow lenses. YELLOW×GRAY combines a yellow frame with gray lenses. The former adds a bright color to the eyes while retaining black contours, while the latter makes the color of the frame itself stand out. These are two clear combinations where the impression changes depending on the balance of frame and lens colors.

The listed size is 54□18.2–147. Labor’s sculptural design extends beyond thick black frames to these curves and color palettes.

View PATROL col.BLACK×YELLOW / View YELLOW×GRAY

Inspiration source: Labor Official PATROL