Posted:Â October 20, 2025
Hayley Martin (MA’98, MBA’00) has launched Once Upon a Charm, a new children’s eyewear brand reimagining glasses for girls through storytelling, design, and imagination. Inspired by her daughter’s early experience with amblyopia, Hayley set out to create eyewear that little girls would treasure, not tolerate, frames that celebrate childhood wonder and individuality. Each pair of Once Upon a Charm glasses are crafted to be proportionate to children's faces so they fit comfortably. They were thoughtfully designed such that the child wears the glasses, not the other way around. However, the distinctive feature of the frames is a patent-pending system of interchangeable, hand-painted charms. These tiny treasures can be swapped in and out and were designed to reflect what little girls think about in the quiet of their days. From puppies and kittens to fairy houses and mermaids, there is even have a charm that simply says "I Can" for those days when she needs a little encouragement.
The brand also aims to raise awareness about pediatric vision health, an issue close to Hayley’s heart.
Before founding Once Upon a Charm, Hayley built her career in New York City and later at Microsoft, where she developed her passion for innovation and user experience. Today, she brings that same focus on purpose, design and empathy to her work as an entrepreneur.
Learn more at .
