Zenni optical appoints Erica J. Scott as Chief Commercial Officer. Zenni, one of the world's leading online eyewear retailers, recently announced the appointment of Erica J. Scott as Chief Commercial Officer, effective September 28. In this role, Scott will lead Zenni's commercial strategy as the company enters its next phase of growth, bringing more than 25 years of experience building and scaling global consumer brands across retail, direct-to-consumer, e-commerce and luxury. Scott joins Zenni following an extensive career leading commercial growth and brand transformation across international markets. Most recently, she served as Global CMO of Signet Jewelers' Milestone Brands Division, where she led commercial and marketing strategy for Kay Jewelers and People's Jewelers. "Erica's track record of building and transforming consumer brands makes her an exceptional addition to Zenni's leadership team," said Julia Zhen, co-founder and CEO of Zenni. "As Zenni continues to evolve, Erica's experience and perspective will be instrumental in helping us expand our reach, strengthen our brand and deliver on our mission to make high-quality eyewear accessible to even more people." Prior to Signet, Scott served as Global SVP, Commercial and Marketing Strategy at David Yurman, where she helped guide the luxury jewelry brand through a shift toward a more direct-to-consumer, customer-led model. Earlier in her career, she served as Global Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at DK Company A/S, a Danish fashion group with a portfolio of 20 brands, where she led commercial strategy across multiple international markets. She also held leadership roles at ESCADA, ECCO and Creative Nation, developing extensive expertise across brand strategy, e-commerce, international expansion and licensing, including eyewear. "Zenni has built an incredibly strong brand by making high-quality eyewear more accessible while continuing to push the industry forward," said Scott. "I'm excited to join the team at such an important moment and help build on that foundation as we enter our next phase of growth. There is a tremendous opportunity to deepen our connection with consumers, expand how we show up across channels and continue delivering innovative products and experiences." Scott's appointment comes as Zenni continues to expand its position in the eyewear industry, building on more than two decades of innovation in online eyewear and its commitment to making high-quality, stylish eyewear more accessible to consumers.

Zenni Optical has appointed Erica J. Scott as chief commercial officer, effective 28 September. Scott brings over 25 years of experience building global consumer brands across retail, direct-to-consumer, e-commerce, and luxury sectors. Scott joins from Signet Jewelers' Milestone Brands Division, where she served as global CMO leading commercial and marketing strategy for Kay Jewelers and People's Jewelers. She previously held senior commercial roles at David Yurman, DK Company A/S, ESCADA, and ECCO. In her new role, Scott will lead Zenni's commercial strategy as the online eyewear retailer continues its expansion. Founded in 2003, Zenni has sold over 80 million frames worldwide, offering prescription glasses starting under $10.

PSA: please allow my very expensive Steam Frame mistake to help you, fellow glasses wearers. 3 3 minutes read The reservation/queue process for Steam Frame continues, with those lucky enough to be randomly selected already able to receive their orders. I'm just such a person, and it turns out I can't use the damned thing. I wear glasses. I apparently wear the wrong glasses, because they refuse to fit inside the Steam Frame. I was aware that the Frame ships with an optional spacer meant for glasses wearers, providing a bit more space between your glasses and the displays themselves. I expected to use this, even if it resulted in additional light bleeding in around my nose, as I often find to happen with VR headsets. In addition to the headset, I opted for the ergonomic accessories kit, which includes an extended light blocker that I hoped would mitigate that issue. Maybe it ultimately will, but I won't be finding out for some time. My typical approach of presuming this kind of situation would just be fine, because surely it has to, has failed me here. In trying to place the Frame on my head, with or without the spacer, the front of the headset bangs into my too-wide glasses. While I was concerned with having enough space between my face and the screen, it is actually the sheer width that is the problem: one that prevents use of the headset, not just one that is a mild annoyance. This is, to be clear, my own fault: There is a maximum width for eyeglasses buried in the specs for the Frame (140mm), but my assumption that a lack of problems in the past meant I'd be fine here has burned me (mine appear to be about 146mm wide). I've used PlayStation VR and Meta Quest devices successfully with glasses, but Frame's interior is either smaller than those or, as I continue to buy new glasses, I'm on a faster track to looking like Jiminy Glick than I realized. There is a solution, as in addition to the accessories that Valve itself sells, the company has collaborated with Zenni to offer prescription lenses that can be installed to avoid any need for glasses or contacts. I found that to be a great option with my Meta Quest, because it avoided my glasses from getting smudged while playing, but at the time of this writing, the Frame lenses are listed as out of stock, with no indication of when they'll next be available. (I've reached out to Valve to see when they'll be back.) Real Hacker know the Frame already costs more than Valve had originally intended-a very steep $1,059 for the cheaper model-and these $68 lenses now being a mandatory purchase makes that sting even further if you find them necessary. I did briefly try an older, slightly smaller pair of glasses I still had lying around, but my vision has changed to the point where wearing them leads me to feeling slightly dizzy. And those glasses, too, seem to be too large, as taking the Frame off pulls them off my head, and they also are at risk of bumping into the displays, which in VR headsets can be notoriously easy to scratch. The edges of the glasses also press hard into the face gasket, which seems like it could cause damage. So I'm inclined to avoid testing out this stopgap solution any further. That leaves me with an awfully expensive paperweight for now. In my brief time having the Frame on without glasses, I was pleased with the overall weight, which seems much more pleasant than other VR headsets I've used. And I'm thrilled to have a device I'll be happier to use, because it further divorces me from Meta's privacy hellscape. But the point remains: If you wear glasses, don't take it for granted that the included spacer will make the Frame usable for you out of the box.