When founder Hayley Martin learned her four-year-old daughter needed glasses, she expected a small rite of passage—a simple, joyful search for frames that matched her child’s bright spirit. Instead, she found row after row of options that felt too big, too bold, too grown-up. And later, a painful moment at school revealed just how deeply eyewear can shape a child’s sense of self.
From that tender beginning emerged Once Upon a Charm—a brand built not just to correct vision, but to nurture it. Vision of self-worth. Vision of possibility. Vision of magic.
Today, Once Upon a Charm crafts glasses girls love to wear: whimsical frames, collectible charms, and tiny details designed through the eyes of childhood wonder. What began as a mother’s mission has become an invitation for girls everywhere to feel proud, empowered, and beautifully seen.
We sat down with Hayley to explore the heartwarming journey behind the brand, the creative partnership she shares with her daughter, and the quiet courage woven into every charm.
A Mission Born from Motherhood
Once Upon a Charm began with a simple moment between you and your daughter. How did that early experience move from a personal need into a full-fledged mission to reimagine eyewear for girls?
When my daughter needed glasses at the age of four, I was shocked by how few frames honored the sweetness of little girls’ faces. All the frames we found seemed too big, too bold, too . . . overwhelming. The glasses wore her, not the other way around.
We finally found a pair she liked, and she wore them happily until she started school. Shortly after, she started being teased about having to wear glasses. It was incredibly painful to see her so sad about being teased for something she medically needed. It was in those moments of comforting her that I thought the eyewear industry needs to do better, it has to do better. Adults design children’s eyewear without ever asking little girls what they might actually want in their frames. So, I decided that I would.
From there, my mission quickly became to design eyewear so sweet and fun to wear that even little girls who do not need to wear glasses will wish they did.
A Heart Behind the Magic
Your daughter plays such a beautifully present role in the creation of the brand. How has building Once Upon a Charm together shaped both the designs and the emotional core of your company?
Honestly, my daughter isn’t just my muse and inspiration, she’s often right in the thick of it with me. I actually call her my CEO, my Chief Enchantment Officer (a title she takes very seriously!). She’s always tossing out charm ideas or coming up with ideas adults might never think about, like engraving arrows on the back of the charms so girls won’t accidentally put them in upside down.
She’s the driving force behind the company and the reason the brand feels so genuine. So much of Once Upon a Charm comes from how little girls sees the world, and it has been a special joy for me to step back into girlhood while building this brand with her.
Designing through a Child’s Eyes
You’ve mentioned that your glasses aren’t “adult trends shrunk down,” but truly inspired by the world of little girls. What does the design process look like when you’re trying to capture imagination, whimsy, and individuality?
When I design, I try to see everything the way a little girl would. The colors she loves, the shapes that feel friendly, the tiny details that make her smile.
Of course, I study the proportions of children’s faces to ensure the frames truly fit. But I also always think about what feels magical, what might make her say “I GET to wear these glasses!” instead of “I have to wear glasses.”
Charm as Storytelling
The charms are such a unique feature—tiny objects girls can collect, curate, and cherish. How did the concept of charms as wearable stories come to life, and what do you hope girls feel when they choose their own?
Thank you! I love that you appreciate the uniqueness of the charms, because they are such an important part of my creation process.
The charms really came from watching how little girls cherish the tiniest things. Any mom you talk to likely has had a handful of pebbles at the bottom of her purse because her daughter saw them as little treasures on a walk or a trip to the playground. Little girls naturally love collecting little things. Tiny erasers, small seashells, acorns. Anything and everything can be perceived as a treasure in the mind of a child.
Each of my charms is crafted to be treasured and has been thoughtfully designed to reflect the things little girls imagine and think about in the quiet of their days.
When a girl selects her charm for the day, I hope it feels like she’s choosing a tiny chapter from one of her own sweet imaginings.
The Power of “I Can!”
The “I Can!” charm carries a deeply personal origin story. How has that message shaped your brand philosophy, and what do you hope it instills in the girls who wear your frames?
I’m so glad you brought up this charm, because there’s such a special story behind it. In the early days, I was drowning in the learning curve. I was new to the eyewear industry and felt in over my head. My daughter saw me struggling at my laptop one afternoon and made me a tiny clay heart with the words “You can” pressed into it.
It was a small, but incredibly meaningful, gesture. That little clay heart still sits on my desk today and its message became the inspiration behind our “I Can!” charm.
We hope little girls wear it whenever they need a tiny boost of courage. I truly believe that when a little girl believes she can, she will. And I’m excited that my frames can be a conduit for that important message.
Balancing Enchantment with Practicality
Children’s eyewear needs to be whimsical but also durable, comfortable, and optometrist-approved. How do you balance the magic with the functional demands of everyday wear?
I always say the magic is what you see first, but the function is quietly doing the real work. I spent a lot of time studying the fit issues that little girls struggle with and worked tirelessly to design the frames to be durable, comfortable, and truly designed for children’s small features.
Behind the sweet colors and tiny charms are thoughtful details like lightweight acetate, proper bridge support, flexible spring hinges, and even little grooves at the ends of the temples so sweat settles in there instead of on the surface, which causes the glasses to slide off when they perspire (a very practical feature for soccer games or a particularly enthusiastic bout of twirling!).
The magic is the part girls see, but the functional design is the part parents can trust.
The Mother-Daughter Creative Partnership
Your daughter has contributed ideas from charm concepts to tiny functional details. What have been some of your favorite collaborations with her throughout this journey?
My daughter’s fingerprints run throughout this entire brand, and sometimes in the most unexpected, and funny, ways. I still remember agonizing over what to name the company, only to hear her little voice shout from her room one night long after bedtime, “Mama! What about this name?!” It was literally keeping her awake at night!
But honestly, the moments I treasure most aren’t the big ones. They’re all the little, seemingly insignificant, moments along the journey that led us here. Creating this eyewear from the ground up with my daughter by my side has been one of the most special experiences of my life. She has truly held my hand through it all.
Nutcracker Inspiration
Your limited-edition Nutcracker charms feature many beloved characters and moments. What inspired you to reimagine this classic story through the lens of children’s eyewear?
To me, The Nutcracker has always felt like a heartbeat of childhood wonder. And I believe Once Upon a Charm embodies the spirit of its beautiful story. Both celebrate wonder, imagination, courage, and the pure enchantment of girlhood.
Our Nutcracker collection is a love letter to the moments so many of us cherish: Clara holding her Nutcracker close, the Snowflakes swirling, the Land of Sweets glowing with possibility, the Sugar Plum fairy dazzling us with her shimmering bourrées. Each charm lets a little girl wear a piece of the story she adores, a tiny keepsake of the magic she feels in her heart.
Looking Ahead with Heart
As Once Upon a Charm continues to grow, what excites you most about the future—new designs, new stories, or new ways to celebrate and support girls as they grow?
There’s so much I’m excited about! Dreaming up new charms, exploring new frame designs, and continuing to build this little world where glasses-wearing girls feel seen and celebrated.
But I’m equally excited about the other half of my mission, which is raising awareness about the importance of pediatric vision evaluations. One in four children has a vision issue that is impacting their ability to read and learn, which then goes on to affect confidence and self-esteem that has far- (and long-) reaching consequences. And I very much want to be part of changing that.
If you’re reading this article, and you have a child, I encourage you to book an appointment with a pediatric or developmental optometrist. It’s one of the best gifts you can give your child this season (other than my Nutcracker charms, of course!).
For more information, visit Once Upon a Charm online >>
All Images: Gaby Cavalcanti Photography.
© 2025 En Face Ballet Collection Creative Studios. Concept and Design by En Face.
