Swimsuit

Desi Perkins Redefines Affordable Luxury With Her ‘One of a Kind’ Eyewear Brand, DEZI

The content creator turned CEO infuses personal style and creativity into every frame.

Ananya Panchal

Desi Perskin
Desi Perskin / Courtesy of DEZI

For Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting inspiring female founders who are making waves in their industries. Female Founder Fridays is all about celebrating their stories—how they built their brands, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Desi Perkins has always had an eye for style. As one of the internet’s most influential beauty creators, she became known for her flawless makeup looks and fashion-forward content. But she knew there was a gap in the market when the longtime sunglasses lover struggled to find eyewear that combined bold designs with quality craftsmanship—without the sky-high price tag. That realization inspired her to create DEZI in 2020, an eyewear brand that blends high-end aesthetics with an accessible price point.

“I wanted to create something that felt luxurious, but still attainable,” Perkins tells SI Swimsuit. “DEZI is all about making people feel confident and powerful without spending a fortune.”

By translating her signature style into sleek, statement-making frames, the mom of two has created a brand that feels personal and universal—one that empowers everyone to embrace being that girl. DEZI’s designs are bold and distinctive, often featuring jewelry-inspired details and playful silhouettes. The unique styles have earned the approval of major stars like Beyoncé, Emily Ratajkowski, Kamie Crawford, Ciara, Usher, Lil Wayne, Becky G and Shay Mitchell.

The vision behind DEZI

Growing up in Los Angeles, Perkins was inspired by the fearless street style of her neighborhood—a space where individuality and self-expression thrived.

Some of Perkins’s fondest childhood memories are of shopping at local swap meets with her mother, where she’d pick up clearance jewelry and immediately start reimagining how to transform the pieces into something new.

“My mom had a gift for making something great out of nothing,” Perkins recalls. “She always taught me that style isn’t about how much something costs—it’s about how you make it your own.”

That spirit of reinvention still remains at the heart of DEZI: “We take a sunglass design and transform it into something unparalleled,” she explains. “My goal is for everyone who wears my designs to feel truly one of a kind.”

From influencer to entrepreneur

With 4.3 million Instagram followers and 3.2 million subscribers on YouTube, Perkins has spent years mastering the art of content creation and cultivating a dedicated audience. Now, as the founder of DEZI (and her Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning brand DEZI SKIN), she’s using that unique perspective to build an authentic and impactful brand that thrives on meaningful connections rather than surface-level marketing.

“It’s fascinating to see things from both perspectives—first as an influencer and now as an entrepreneur,” Perkins shares. “One thing remains true on both sides: if a partnership isn’t authentic, it simply won’t work. Consumers can always sense when something isn’t genuine. But when the audience sees a real connection, they feel it—and that’s when the excitement happens.”

Having been at the forefront of influencer marketing for years, Perkins understands that trust is key. She’s witnessed collaborations between major brands and high-profile influencers fail—not because of reach, but because they lacked genuine connection.

This mindset was central to her decision to collaborate with TikTok star Monet McMichael, a longtime organic customer of the brand, for DEZI’s first-ever partnership.

“She’s a creator I admire and, more importantly, a true and authentic collector of DEZI,” Perkins says. “I couldn’t have asked for a better person for my first collaboration.”

Perkins also further tapped into her love of feminine accessories by working with jewelry brand Luv AJ.

“This collaboration brought a whole new audience to DEZI,” Perkins adds. “I knew I had accomplished [a] goal when I met a 15-year-old girl who asked me what I did for a living. When I told her I was the founder of DEZI, she screamed. In that moment, I realized—I had officially grown beyond myself.”

Her (current) favorite pair of DEZI sunnies

Lots of thought, intention and careful curation go into crafting each piece on the website, but one style in particular holds a special place in Perkins’s heart.

DEZI CHULA, $95 (dezi.com)

Desi Perkins
Desi Perkins / DEZI

The Chula frame draws inspiration from jewelry, featuring asymmetrical mixed-metal piercings on the arms—one side adorned with three delicate hoops. It’s available in crystal blush, amber and blackout.

“Right now, my favorite pair on our website has to be the Chula.” Perkins reveals. “This style truly represents why I started DEZI—it’s that one-of-a-kind piece that stands out, full of personality. She’s that girl you see on the street with a sick outfit, effortlessly turning heads.”

Shop now at dezi.co.

Female Founder Q&A

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

“Things will not go as planned.” When another business owner told me this, it gave me a sense of comfort and the ability to accept rather than resist. Learning to pivot has been everything. Now, I’m wired to think in solutions instead of panicking.

What do you wish you knew before starting your brand?

I wish I had known how to balance my time between managing and creating. You’d think that as a designer, most of your time would be spent designing—but running a business is so much more than that. I’ve had to be intentional about setting boundaries to protect my creative time, ensuring I have the space to thoughtfully execute my designs.

What was your “I made it” moment?

My “I made it” moment was walking into an event hosted by Beyoncé—only to see her wearing my design! I don’t think I even had time to fully process it. Right now, our entire line is under $100, which brings me back to why I started this brand in the first place. It’s never about the price tag—it’s about style.

What is your favorite memory from starting the brand?

One of my favorite moments when starting this brand was hand-making every PR box with my family for our first launch. We didn’t just package them—we created individual collages on each box using our campaign images, making every single one a unique, one-of-a-kind piece for the person receiving it. I can’t even begin to count the hours of labor and love that went into it, but when I look back, all I remember is us together—laughing, cracking jokes, and creating as a family. As a company grows, you always find yourself looking back at those little moments, and they end up meaning the most.

Do you have a favorite growth/personal development podcast or book you love?

I love How I Built This and The Unshakables Podcast—both are incredibly inspiring listens that dive deep into the journeys of entrepreneurs.

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When she is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, Panchal can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. Panchal has a bachelor’s in communications and journalism from Boston University.

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